5 dead in Pierce County after stabbing on Key Peninsula, shots fired by deputy
Five people were dead Tuesday morning near the Purdy area in Pierce County after reports of a stabbing, according to the Sheriff’s Office. A deputy shot and killed the suspect.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said a 911 caller reported that a man came to their home near the 14000 block of 87th Avenue Court Northwest in violation of a no-contact order at about 8:47 a.m.
Deputies found the order had not yet been served. The Sheriff’s Office said deputies were en route to serve the order when multiple witnesses reported that a man was stabbing people outside the home.
A deputy arrived, and shots were reported at 9:33 a.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office. The suspect was a 32-year-old man.
Deputies said four people were dead at the scene, including the 32-year-old man. A fifth person was transported by Gig Harbor Fire & Rescue and later died of their injuries.
Authorities had not yet publicly identified the victims Tuesday afternoon. Officer Shelbie Boyd, a Tacoma police spokesperson who addressed news media at the scene, said all the victims appeared to be adults.
Boyd also described how protection orders are issued and served.
“So there’s kind of two parts to these orders, right? A judge issues them, but then we have to serve it on that person, so there’s knowledge of what is listed in that order,” Boyd said. “And then it becomes valid and served. So they have to be valid, and they have to be served. And this one just hadn’t been served yet.”
The Pierce County Force Investigation Team has taken over the incident. It investigates all police uses of deadly force in Pierce County.
Police scanner traffic indicated that a 911 caller reported seeing a person walking around with a knife shortly before 9:30 a.m. Minutes later, a report of shots fired went over the radio.
At least seven police vehicles were parked in and just outside a residential neighborhood off of state Route 302. Multiple agencies responded with the Sheriff’s Office including Tacoma and Gig Harbor police. The entrance to the neighborhood and an adjacent private road were blocked off by yellow police tape.
The Sheriff’s Office issued a video statement Tuesday afternoon with a representative from the Key Peninsula Fire Department. Deputy Carly Cappetto said they were on a “very active and tragic scene.” A post on the fire department’s Facebook page said it was a “horrific scene.”
Police tape also blocked off a home a short distance into the neighborhood. A mobile command vehicle was nearby. The neighborhood is next to a busy two-lane highway, and traffic was slowing down passing the scene.
“Heartbreaking! Please pray for the victims, the victims’ families, and all First Responders,” Sheriff Keith Swank wrote Tuesday afternoon in a post on X.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 12:06 PM.
