Tacoma high school student killed in West End shooting identified by medical examiner
A 16-year-old boy killed last week in a shooting in Tacoma’s West End has been identified by the Pierce County medical examiner. The victim was a student at Foss High School.
Larry Marshall III, of Tacoma, died March 29 of multiple gunshot wounds, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release issued Friday. His death was ruled a homicide.
No arrests have been made in the fatal shooting, according to police, which occurred outside an apartment complex across the street from Tacoma Community College. Police were dispatched at about 1:13 p.m. for reports of a person shot, and officers found him unresponsive on the ground. He was declared dead at the scene.
Police have not said what led to the shooting or how many people were thought to be involved. It is part of a surge in youth crime that has city leaders, community organizations and law enforcement searching for ways to rein in the violence and address the underlying issues that have led to the crisis. Marshall’s death was the 10th homicide in Tacoma so far this year, and the fifth victim under 18.
Marshall, who was also known by Trae, played football at Foss High School, according to a GoFundMe started by the boy’s family to raise money for funeral services. According to the fundraising page, Marshall was survived by his parents and two sisters.
A relative, Leanna Bordner, wrote on the webpage that Marshall was smart, funny, charismatic and an amazing athlete.
“He was so much more than words could describe,” Bordner wrote. “Our family is devastated and our lives will never be the same without our baby boy.”
