Man topples, shot, out of car near Purdy Bridge. Here’s what police know so far

Gig Harbor police and Sheriff’s deputies responding to a 911 call at a gas station near the Purdy Bridge on Monday found a shooting victim lying bloodied beside his open car door, witnesses said.

The suspect was reported to be still at large. The victim, a man his 30s, was taken to a hospital, where he was in critical condition. Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies were handling the case and Gig Harbor Police and Washington State Patrol troopers were assisting in the search for a suspect.

Police were called about 11:20 a.m. Monday to a Chevron station in the 14300 block of Purdy Drive NW.

Muhammad Abohana, who works at the gas station, said a woman ran into the station office screaming that a man had been shot, and workers found a man laying just outside vehicle, a red Dodge Durango. Abohana said he thinks the man was shot somewhere else and drove to the gas station for help. State Route 302 runs past the station.

In a Twitter message, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said “additional police activity” was occurring at 62nd Avenue NW and 157th Street NW, where it is believed the shooting occurred. It is a semi-rural area with many mobile homes. Deputies appeared to be examining the lawn and shrubbery around one particular home. Neighbors told reporters the house always had a lot of people coming and going.

Sgt. Darren Moss, the Sheriff’s public information officer, said two calls to 911 came in about the same time around 11: 20 a.m.

“One was a call of shots fired at a home in the 6200 block of 157th Street NW out here in Purdy, and at the same time a call here at this Chevron gas station, where a male had arrived in this red Durango. As soon as he got out the car, he collapsed, and people realized he had been shot. Our dispatchers were able to put two and two together and said, ‘Hey, those are probably related.’”

Deputies went to the house on 157th Street NW and found it empty, Moss said, but also found bullet holes and other evidence in the house that shots had been fired. The house was secured until a search warrant could obtained, he said.

Moss said both the shooting victim and the suspect are known to police.

“We do know the victim from prior law enforcement contacts,” Moss said, and as for the suspect, “we have a pretty good idea who he is, and we’re looking for him.” The victim’s Durango was towed and will be searched, Moss said, but an initial investigation did not turn up any weapons.

The incident was near Peninsula High School, but police on the scene said there was no danger to the school or its students, and the school was not placed on lockdown.

Chase Hutchinson contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 21, 2021 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Man topples, shot, out of car near Purdy Bridge. Here’s what police know so far."