19-year-old man shot dead at Pierce County intersection. Suspects at large, deputies say
A 19-year-old Spanaway man was killed in a shooting in Parkland on Wednesday.
Pierce County deputies were dispatched at 6:39 p.m. to reports of a shooting at 119th Street South and Pacific Avenue. Dispatchers were advised several shots were heard and one man was down in the street, according to a Pierce County Sheriff’s Department news release.
One man was deceased. A firearm, live ammunition and multiple shell casings were in the roadway, the release said. The suspects drove off north on Pacific Avenue, according to witnesses on the scene.
Deputies interviewed the victim’s girlfriend’s who witnessed the shooting, Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Darren Moss said.
When deputies shut the roadway, a crowd of people started to gather. A family member who tried to enter the scene allegedly assaulted a deputy. The man was arrested and booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, the post said. The deputy was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Moss said the deputy was trying to preserve the evidence that could be used against the suspects who killed the man.
“In that moment we understand tensions are high [for the family], but you cannot assault a deputy,” Moss said.
Detectives and forensic investigators are collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. No suspects are in custody.
Anyone with information about the homicide can contact the Sheriff’s Department or make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
This story was originally published August 1, 2024 at 8:19 AM.
