Crime

Arraignment set for suspected gunman in shooting that killed 2 at Tacoma’s Alleycat bar

The man suspected of opening fire inside a bar early Sunday morning on Tacoma’s 6th Avenue, killing two people and injuring three more, is expected to be arraigned on murder and assault charges Tuesday.

Police said the man surrendered at police headquarters Sunday afternoon and was booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree assault. A spokesperson from the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said the alleged shooter would make his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon to enter a plea and have bail set.

The suspect has yet to be formally charged. The News Tribune typically does not name suspects of crimes until a charging decision has been made.

A candle memorial is set up at the site of a shooting that occurred on Sunday morning and left two dead and three injured, at the Alleycat on 6th Avenue, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Tacoma, Wash.
A candle memorial is set up at the site of a shooting that occurred on Sunday morning and left two dead and three injured, at the Alleycat on 6th Avenue, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Tacoma, Wash. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com

A 35-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman killed in the mass shooting have yet to be identified by the county medical examiner’s office. Police have not identified the ages of the other three victims, but officials said all were adults.

Police said the shooting occurred about 1:30 a.m. inside The Alleycat, a bar in the 2700 block of 6th Avenue, a popular business district occupied by restaurants and late-night bars. The suspect fled after the shooting.

A memorial to the five victims of the shooting appeared outside the bar Monday morning. Flowers, candles and photos of those shot were laid on the sidewalk. The deaths marked the 27th and 28th homicides in Tacoma this year. At this time last year, the city had recorded 39 killings.

This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 11:41 AM.

Peter Talbot
The News Tribune
Peter Talbot is a criminal justice reporter for The News Tribune. He started with the newspaper in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at NPR in Washington, D.C. He also interned for the Oregonian and the Tampa Bay Times. Support my work with a digital subscription
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