A tragic incident unfolded in Tacoma, Washington, when a 14-year-old boy was shot in the head while driving an SUV, now hospitalized in critical condition. The Tacoma Police Department confirmed the lack of suspects in custody and the absence of a suspect description, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle. Emergency services were dispatched to the intersection of McKinley Avenue and East 64th Street before 3 p.m. after receiving reports of the collision and a gunshot victim.
Upon arrival, first responders discovered the teenage victim inside a Kia Sportage, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The young driver was immediately rushed to the hospital by the fire crews. An adjacent business's employee, Zachary McBride, expressed his shock to KOMO News, stating, "I kind of got a little closer and I realized that somebody was slumped over in the drivers seat, and as I got closer I realized there was a bullet hole in the right side of his head and he was bleeding out of it."
It was revealed through surveillance footage from the Food Mart, located at the crime scene, that the shot was likely fired just before the SUV approached the intersection, leading to a minor collision with a Scion vehicle. The shop's owner shared with KOMO the disturbing sight of the aftermath, in which four individuals were seen fleeing from the SUV down East 64th Street.
A subsequent report on Friday night from the Tacoma Police Department, detailing no updates on the teen's condition. However, McBride reflected on the victim's youth, expressing hope for their recovery: "It’s a young individual and they got a lot of life ahead of him, even if they’re hanging out with the wrong people or whatever, I just started praying automatically, wishing him the best, hopefully they pull through," in an interview obtained by KOMO. The police are now appealing to the community, seeking footage from GoPros, cellphones, or surveillance cameras, along with any knowledge of the incident, as stated by TPD spokesperson Shelbie Boyd in a statement to the community.
