Police hope public can help find 17-year-old suspected killer
TACOMA -- Police are asking for your help finding the last of six suspects accused of killing a 19-year-old man simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Brandon Morris was shot near South 45th Street and South Puget Sound Avenue in Tacoma on May 1. Now, detectives are looking for Clifford Krentkowski. He has felony arrest warrants for Murder in the 1st degree, Murder in the 2nd degree, and four counts of Assault in the 1st degree with a Firearm Enhancement.
“We want him bad. This is not someone we want out on the street. This isn’t his first experience with weapons. He had another incident in 2013 with a gun, a drive by shooting," said Officer Shelbie Boyd with Tacoma Police.
At the time of the shooting, Morris and several friends had just left a nearby convenience store after buying candy. Multiple shots were fired at the group of friends from a SUV. Morris was struck in the head and died from his wounds.
“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how I’m going to go on without him,” said Brandon’s mother, Elladell Morris. “He took care of me, he took care of his grandmother.”
Brandon Morris
Detectives have identified six suspects that were in the SUV at the time of the shooting including Krentkowski. The five other suspects are in police custody. Detectives believe the suspects are involved in gang activity and the shooting was a case of mistaken identity. The victim was not involved in gangs and may have been killed simply for wearing the wrong color that day.
“I don’t know why people don’t value life that they have to go around just shooting, just random shooting,” said Elladell.
Clifford Krentkowski is a black, 17 years old, 5’8” tall, 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
“We believe he’s still local but at this point we don’t know where he is," said Officer Boyd.
If you can tell Tacoma Police how to find Clifford Krentkowski, call Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County at 1-800-222-8477. All calls are anonymous and there is a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to his arrest.