Brothers plead not guilty in shootout at Spanaway parking lot

Two brothers were involved in a shootout earlier this week after allegedly trying to sell marijuana to a group of men outside a Spanaway strip mall.

One brother was a state Department of Corrections officer; the other was a convicted felon.

Now, Willard Palmer, 30, and Anthony Palmer, 28, are charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Anthony Palmer, who has prior convictions and is banned from being around weapons, also is charged with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

The shooting occurred Sunday after the brothers, who live in Walla Walla, agreed to meet a man in the 20400 block of state Route 7 to sell him pot, police said.

Willard Palmer, the Corrections Department officer, told detectives he owns a marijuana collective and agreed to sell to a new customer. Pierce County prosecutors note in charging documents that customers must belong to the collective.

The documents give this account:

The brothers took about three pounds of marijuana to the scene, where they met with four men. An argument broke out during the deal and the other men fled in a Saturn, shooting as they went.

Willard and Anthony Palmer returned fire, according to surveillance footage, although they later said Anthony Palmer never had a gun.

The unknown men crashed their vehicle across the street from the strip mall and ran away. The brothers remained at the scene until deputies arrived.

The Saturn had several bullet holes in the windshield and the Palmers’ van had bullet holes in the hood and passenger door.

No one was injured in the shootout.

The Palmer brothers pleaded not guilty Wednesday. Willard Palmer is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail; Anthony Palmer is jailed in lieu of $40,000 bail.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Brothers plead not guilty in shootout at Spanaway parking lot."