A man was fatally shot by Pierce County sheriff's deputies early Monday morning in Tacoma, after a confrontation escalated outside a local business. According to the Seattle Times, deputies had been engaging with several individuals at Tacoma’s Smoke and More shop on the 800 block of 72nd Street East when the incident occurred.
The events unfolded at around 1:16 a.m. when deputies arrested one person from the group on a felony warrant. Thereafter, a chase ensued when another individual fled, armed with a gun, the department stated. In the confrontation that followed, it was reported at 1:45 a.m. that shots had been fired and the man was subsequently killed, the Sheriff's Office said that the man had been wearing body armor but, no deputies were injured during the incident.
Details surrounding the shooting remain unclear, including the exact sequence of events that led to the gunfire and the number of deputies involved. The KOMO News reported that the suspect had been observed running "south on the railroad tracks" prior to the fatal shooting, and details of what transpired in the intervening time remain sparse.
The Pierce County Force Investigation Team is conducting a probe into the shooting. "Very unusual to have somebody wearing body armor just walking around in the middle of the night, and having a gun," Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department told media outlets. In an interview with KIRO Newsradio, Moss expressed familiarity with the area, noting it to be a hot spot for sheriff's patrols, particularly due to previous incidents at the smoke shop.
Investigators are in the process of piecing together the circumstances that led up to the shooting. The investigation is ongoing, with the intention of providing further information as it becomes available.
