Was Pierce County sheriff’s precinct targeted in drive-by? Man arrested; gun found nearby
Pierce County deputies were targeted in a drive-by shooting outside their Parkland-Spanaway precinct Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Department reported.
While deputies were doing paperwork at about 12:24 a.m., they saw a dark vehicle driving south on Pacific Avenue South. They then heard several gunshots they suspected were directed towards them, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department in a news release.
A deputy and sergeant drove into Pacific Avenue to check for the alleged shooter’s car. They eventually saw a sedan making a U-turn at the side gate for the Spanaway Lake Golf Course. The driver had his window down and was about to pull into the street, the release said.
When the deputy drove by the driveway to the golf course, the alleged shooter turned in behind him in the left lane. The deputy feared the shooter was going to start shooting him, the release said.
The sergeant was ahead of the sedan and also slowed down. The alleged shooter slowed down to stay behind the sergeant, the release said.
The release said that the sergeant pulled into a Safeway parking lot, and the deputy drove quickly through 159th Street and Pacific Avenue. The alleged shooter made a left turn at the light, and deputies conducted a traffic stop.
Deputies detained the man after he pulled over in the 16000 block of B Street South. They did not find a firearm on him. Deputies later found a Sig Sauer pistol near the golf course’s driveway, the release said.
There were no shell casings near the precinct nor bullet strikes on the building, the release said. There were spent shell casings inside the alleged shooter’s vehicle.
The 33-year-old man was booked into the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of drive-by shooting, assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, the release said.
Pierce County prosecutors charged him on Thursday with drive-by shooting and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, court records show. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Pierce County Superior Court Thursday afternoon.
When the man was detained, he allegedly appeared intoxicated and had poor balance. The man said he was heading home, but reports show that his home is in the opposite direction of where he was headed, according to charging documents.
The 33-year-old man is a convicted felon. He was convicted in 2016 for four counts of second-degree assault, records show.
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 11:18 AM.
