Man fatally shot in Tacoma remembered as hard-working person who enjoyed fixing up cars
A 32-year-old man killed in a shooting last week in Tacoma’s Dome District was identified Wednesday by the medical examiner. His brothers said he was a hard-working man with a knack for fixing up cars and motorcycles.
Anton Dixon died June 12 of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office. He reportedly lived in University Place, and relatives said he moved to the region about eight years ago from the Washington, D.C., area.
No arrests have been made. The Tacoma Police Department said Dixon was found in the 200 block of Puyallup Avenue after 911 callers reported hearing gunfire just before 4:30 p.m. Dixon was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s unclear what led to the shooting.
Police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said Thursday she didn’t have any updates to provide on the homicide investigation. Police have not released any suspect information.
Dixon’s twin brother, Antione, told The News Tribune that Dixon’s death has been like a nightmare that part of him still feels he’ll wake up from. Dixon and his twin are the youngest of four boys, and his family, who all live in the D.C. area, didn’t hear news of the shooting until five days after it happened. Antione said he wants answers for what happened to his brother.
“I’m going to do everything that I can do to make sure that people who are responsible for this are brought to justice,” Antoine said.
Dixon was raised in Alexandria, Virginia, and Capitol Heights, Maryland, where relatives said he lived until he moved to Tacoma. His brothers said that growing up, they liked to play video games together. He started working on cars from a young age, and another brother, Stephon, said Dixon had at least 10 by the time he was 18 or 19. Stephon said Dixon was ambitious and could do anything he put his mind to.
His twin, Antione, said Dixon was different from him. He was creative and brave, Antione said, and he loved to go to the beach. Before moving to Tacoma, he owned his own landscaping business.
“He was a good person,” Antione said. “He came out here looking for work, trying to do the right thing, and he didn’t deserve this.”
After moving to Tacoma, Dixon worked in construction. His brothers said an on-the-job injury later left him unable to work, and he was still recovering when he was shot.
The last time Ronald M. spoke to his younger brother was on his birthday, a week before the shooting. Ronald, 36, said Dixon seemed in good spirits. He said his brother comes from a Christian family, and he said their faith is what has carried them through this experience.
“I want the individuals who have committed this crime against him to know, one the devastation, the pain that it has left our family in, but to also know that Jesus loves them and died to forgive them of even what they have done here.”
Ronald started a GoFundMe to raise money to help with the costs of funeral arrangements. The shooting was the 17th homicide in the city this year. At this time last year, Tacoma had recorded 21 killings.
