Man killed in Tacoma homeless encampment shooting identified by medical examiner
A 26-year-old man who was fatally shot last week at a homeless encampment near Interstate 5 in South Tacoma was identified Monday by the medical examiner.
Jefferson Matthews died Feb. 28 of a gunshot wound to the chest, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release. Matthews’ city of residence was listed as unknown. His death was ruled a homicide.
A man was arrested on suspicion of killing Matthews hours after the shooting occurred at a camp near South 74th Street and Tacoma Mall Boulevard. According to murder charges filed against the suspect, the shooting stemmed from a brief argument over a dog that barked at the alleged gunman in a tent.
A witness told Tacoma Police Department detectives the shooter fired a shot at the dog immediately after saying something to the effect of, “Get your [expletive] dog!,” records state. Then the gunman turned his weapon on Matthews and shot him once.
Matthews was declared dead at the scene after police and other emergency responders arrived that morning. Police said Tacoma Animal Control took the dog, named Tyson, to an emergency veterinarian. The animal later died.
Matthews’ killing was the seventh homicide in the city this year. Two more have occurred in Pierce County near Puyallup and Graham. At this time last year Tacoma had recorded nine homicides, and the total for the county was 23.
This story was originally published March 6, 2023 at 4:26 PM.
