A quiet stretch near 72nd Street East and 9th Avenue Court East turned into a pre-dawn manhunt Sunday, after Pierce County deputies opened fire on a man they say was wanted on multiple felony warrants. Deputies report the suspect was found slumped in a vehicle, then allegedly rammed patrol cars and drove toward a deputy before taking off on foot. No deputies were hit, and a K9-and-drone search lasting several hours came up empty.
What deputies say
According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office blotter, posted Sunday, a deputy spotted the man around 2:00 a.m. and recognized him as a subject with multiple felony warrants, including second-degree assault, eluding and escape from community custody. Deputies moved their vehicles to box in the car, but the suspect woke up and, according to the blotter, began ramming patrol cars.
The sheriff's office says the man then drove toward a deputy, and that is when shots were fired. The suspect sped away and later ran from the scene on foot, leaving deputies to lock down the area and call in extra resources.
Search and scene
"The scene remains active, and we are encouraging everyone in the area to keep their doors and vehicles locked," the department wrote on its blotter (Pierce County Sheriff's Office). Deputies later found the suspect's car crashed and abandoned in the 900 block of 85th Street East.
Multiple residents told deputies that a bloodied man matching the suspect's description came onto their properties, then took off after being confronted. An extensive K9 track, supported by drones, ran for about 3½ hours but did not locate the man, the blotter notes.
Investigation and oversight
County protocol calls for the Pierce County Force Investigation Team to lead investigations into officer-involved uses of force, according to Pierce County. At the same time, the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations began expanding into Pierce County on May 1 and will investigate deadly-force cases there, according to reporting by The News Tribune.
How to help
The sheriff's office has asked anyone with information or video related to the incident to call 911 and warned residents not to approach the suspect. The agency posted its initial alert and follow-up information on social media. See the department's latest update on X: Pierce County Sheriff's Office.
