Man fired 170 rounds before being shot by Pierce County deputies, charges say
The man shot and injured by sheriff’s deputies near Puyallup during a response to a domestic-violence report fired about 170 rifle rounds during the incident and previously was convicted of murder, according to charging documents.
Jerel Lemuel Tackett, 45, pleaded not guilty Friday in Pierce County Superior Court to first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Pro-tem Court Commissioner Meagan Foley ordered him held in jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Tackett was convicted of second-degree murder in Florida, according to the probable cause document. It does not state what year the conviction is from, but a pretrial services report shows criminal history in Florida in 2005 and 2006. He also has prior convictions for domestic violence.
No deputies were injured in the Oct. 12 shooting. It is being investigated by the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, which conducts inquiries when police use deadly force. In a press release, PCFIT said two deputies were involved, and both were placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Video of the shooting scene shared by photographer “photogsteve81” on Instagram showed at least seven patrol cars outside a residence in neighborhood where a barrage of gunfire went on for about 30 seconds while deputies and a couple of civilians took cover. After a lull, the shots resumed for another 15 seconds.
One volley of gunfire reportedly felled tree branches in the backyard. A neighboring house was evacuated, according to court documents. Two who were behind patrol cars out front fired their weapons. Tackett came out the front door and surrendered a short time later.
Tackett had injuries to his abdomen and groin, and he was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center. According to the probable cause document, he said he wanted a lawyer to be present when detectives visited and asked if he wanted to speak to them.
Detectives later learned that a couple was at a self-storage facility with their 1-year-old daughter that afternoon when a bullet struck a wall just feet from where one of them was standing and holding the child. The business is about 1,000 feet northwest of where Tackett was allegedly firing gunshots.
Inside the residence, investigators found about 170 spent rifle casings in Tackett’s bedroom, according to the probable cause document. A window was shattered, and bullet defects were grouped near the top of the window frame. Investigators also found multiple rifle magazines and a 100-round drum-style ammunition magazine. A black AR-15 rifle was located on the floor of the living room with a 60-round drum magazine inserted.
A woman who was found screaming from a front window when deputies first arrived and was pulled from the home was interviewed by PCFIT investigators. According to the probable cause document, she had a swollen right arm that appeared to be broken. She said she’d been dating Tackett for five years and living with him for three years.
In the interview, the woman described trying to leave the home that morning with her two daughters after Tackett became agitated, punched her desk and asked to see her bank account. He allegedly stopped her at the bedroom door, threatened to punch her and accused her of cheating.
Tackett allegedly struck her in the head with a closed fist and continued to punch her five or six times when she fell onto a bed. She reported falling to the floor, where Tackett allegedly kicked her multiple times. The woman said she told her daughters to run while she tried to block the assault.
The woman reportedly called 911 some time after Tackett walked down a hallway and allegedly said, “I’m going to get the gun.” Tackett allegedly pressed a rifle against the side of the woman’s head twice and fired a round into the floor next to her.
