Suspect shot during series of Pierce County convenience store robberies, charges say
A 17-year-old boy who was shot during a series of convenience store robberies last year in Pierce County has been charged, according to court records.
The teenager pleaded not guilty at arraignment Friday to four counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree assault, one count of attempted first-degree robbery and second-degree unlawful gun possession. Bail was set at $100,000.
Charging papers give this account of what happened:
There was an armed robbery Aug. 18 at a store in the 5500 block of McKinley Avenue in Tacoma. The robber demanded cash from the clerk and fled with it.
On Oct. 5 there was another armed robbery at a store in the 4400 block of Sixth Avenue. This time the clerk refused to hand over cash at gunpoint and the robber fled.
Then Oct. 19 a robber fired shots during a heist at a store in the 600 block of 112th Street South in Parkland. The robber pointed a gun at the clerk, the clerk started running to a back office, and the robber fired twice. The clerk locked himself in the office and the shooter fled.
Sheriff’s deputies were still at that scene when there was a call about a robbery in the 7200 block of Golden Given Road East. The robber asked for change for $1, pulled a gun and demanded money when the clerk opened the register, then fled with the cash.
On Oct. 25 there was an exchange of gunfire during another robbery at the same store that was held up Aug. 18. The robber asked the clerk for change, then pulled a gun and demanded cash when the register was open. This time the clerk ran to a closet and the suspect fired. The clerk fired four shots back.
“It was unclear if the subject had been hit and no blood was found at the scene,” the declaration for determination of probable cause said. “... it was apparent to investigators watching surveillance from all of the robberies that it was the same perpetrator each time.”
The next day police responded to St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, where the teenager was being treated for a gunshot wound. He’d been shot in the groin.
“It was noted that while his boxers had an apparent bullet exit and entry defect, there was no corresponding defect on the sweatpants,” he wore to the hospital, the probable cause statement said.
Those pants matched the pair worn in the Aug. 18 robbery.
Investigators found BB guns, an Air Soft gun, a replica Uzi handgun, and a pair of pants with blood and a “bullet defect” at his home. There was also a box of .32-caliber cartridges, which appeared similar to what were fired during the Oct. 19 robbery.
The teenager allegedly told officers he accidentally shot himself with a rifle at his aunt’s home. Investigators didn’t find the rifle or blood to match that account when they checked the home.
They also learned the suspect called someone for a ride to the hospital and allegedly said he’d been shot during a robbery.
Due to the suspect’s medical condition, he couldn’t be booked into jail or juvenile detention initially. Records show he was booked into Remann Hall on Thursday.
