Tacoma teens threw water balloons at man’s car. He’s accused of shooting one
A University Place man was arrested after he allegedly robbed four teenagers at gunpoint in Tacoma before shooting one in the chest last month.
Prosecutors charged Majeed Lamir Guerry, 31, with first-degree assault, four counts of first-degree robbery and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm in the Feb. 28 shooting, according to court records.
A plea of not guilty was entered on Guerry’s behalf during his arraignment Monday afternoon. Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille set bail at $150,000, court documents show.
Prosecutors noted in charging documents that Guerry faces a “substantial” prison sentence if he gets convicted, and he is considered a danger to the community.
Details of the incident
Officers were dispatched at 9:14 p.m. to the 3200 block of South Tyler Street for a shooting. Four teenagers were at the scene with a black Audi vehicle. One teenage boy had been shot in the chest, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The boy was taken to a local hospital for treatment, documents show. He did not have life-threatening injuries, but it appeared he came close to a “fatal outcome.”
Officers interviewed the remaining three teenagers who said they were driving the Audi and throwing water balloons at other vehicle as entertainment, documents show. They threw one water balloon at a silver sedan. The driver of the sedan, later identified as Guerry, drove after the teens to a dead end. Documents show the sedan blocked them in and Guerry confronted the teens.
Guerry allegedly robbed the teens at gunpoint, documents show. He pointed a gun at the victim who was sitting in the front passenger seat. Guerry allegedly yelled, “Give me all your [explicit].” The victim told detectives Guerry struck him in the face with the gun before he was shot.
One of the teens told detectives he gave Guerry about $100. Guerry also demanded to know who threw the balloon and focused most of his aggression on the victim. Detectives later determined the victim was likely the person who threw the water balloon at Guerry’s car.
Documents show Guerry then drove off. The teens followed him in the Audi before they realized the victim had been shot.
The shooting reportedly occurred at a gravel lot on Mullen Street, according to charging documents.
Documents show Guerry was driving a Kia K5 vehicle.
Detectives tracked reports involving Guerry’s girlfriend and the vehicle. The reports noted Guerry as her boyfriend. Document show detectives found images of the Kia through surveillance cameras, which appeared consistent with the description the teens provided.
Phone records from the girlfriend showed that she allegedly was in the area where the shooting happened around the same time it occurred. Surveillance footage also allegedly showed Guerry and the girlfriend in the Kia arriving the Emerald Queen Casino less than an hour after the shooting.
Guerry and his girlfriend were arrested Friday at an apartment building in the South Hill area.
Guerry’s girlfriend told detectives she was with Guerry on Feb. 28. She said her memory was hazy because she was intoxicated that day, documents show. She said the sunroof was open and Guerry’s driver’s window was down. They both got wet when the water balloon hit them.
She said Guerry drove after the other car, and she remembered him getting out of the car after they stopped. The girlfriend said she was not paying attention to what he was doing when he went over to the other car as the music was turned up and she scrolling on her phone, documents show.
Documents show the girlfriend said she did not hear a gunshot. She said nothing seemed different about him after he got back to the car. She also confirmed they went to the casino shortly after.
Detectives spoke to Guerry after advising him of his Miranda rights, documents show. He said he did not recall the details from that night and said he often went to casinos to play slot machines. He confirmed he was at the Emerald Queen Casino after detectives showed surveillance pictures of him and his girlfriend there.
Guerry said he did not have any knowledge of the car involving the teenagers and the water balloon. Guerry asked for an attorney after a detective confronted him about the incidents, including the robbery and shooting.
Prosecutors wrote the gun used in the shooting had not been recovered.
Guerry’s criminal history includes convictions from 2019 in Pierce County for second-degree assault and third-degree assault. He has an active bench warrant from Lewis County District Court, according to court records.
