A quiet Sunday evening at Wright Park turned tense when a teenager was found with a gunshot wound to the leg inside the downtown Tacoma green space. Officers were originally dispatched around 8 p.m. for a report that someone had been hit by a firework, but arriving Tacoma police instead located the injured teen and rushed them to a nearby hospital. Investigators say the wound may have been self-inflicted, and they are asking anyone with video or information about what happened to come forward.
According to The News Tribune, Tacoma Police spokeswoman Shelbie Boyd said a group of teenagers had been gathered near the park before officers arrived. When police got there at about 8 p.m., they found a teen with a bullet wound to the leg. Detectives suspect the shot was self-inflicted and possibly accidental. The victim was uncooperative with officers, and police said they were unable to identify any witnesses at the scene.
Where It Happened
Wright Park, a 27-acre arboretum in the heart of downtown, is a long-standing Tacoma hangout with a playground, sprayground and the W.W. Seymour Conservatory, according to Parks Tacoma. The park regularly draws families and teens for seasonal programs and community events, and its leafy paths and historic conservatory have made it one of the city’s best-known public spaces.
Police Investigation
Tacoma police say detectives are working to sort out what led up to the shooting and are waiting to review any video community members might have captured, as reported by The News Tribune. Anyone with footage or tips is urged to contact the Tacoma Police Department. The department lists a non-emergency line at (253) 287-4455 and a main information line at (253) 591-5950, according to the Tacoma Police Department.
What Remains Unclear
Authorities have not released the teen’s identity, a detailed sequence of events or additional context about what the group of teenagers was doing in the park before the shot was fired. More information is expected as investigators complete interviews and review any community video. This story will be updated if Tacoma police or detectives share further details or release footage tied to the case.
