JBLM soldier wanted in connection with Lakewood shooting surrenders after 11-hour manhunt



LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Police arrested a soldier from Joint Base Lewis-McChord Thursday night in connection with a shooting that critically injured a man.

Police say 22-year-old Jesse Suhanec knocked on the door of a home on Fern Street SW Thursday night, told the couple inside that he was wanted by police and that he wanted to turn himself in. He had the subject of a manhunt for close to 12 hours.

Police said Thursday night he was being cooperative, but has not admitted his involvement in any of the crimes that happened earlier Thursday. They earlier described him as a "person of interest" in the shooting.

The shooting occurred Thursday morning when a man was found wounded in Lakewood. Officials with West Pierce Fire said the victim in the shooting suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken in critical condition to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Tacoma.

Lakewood police said the shooting occurred  in the 15200 block of Grant Avenue SW in the Tillicum area of Lakewood.  It was determined that the victim drove himself to the parking lot of a Popeye’s Restaurant in the 15200 block of Union Avenue, where he collapsed in his vehicle.

As the suspect fled, he attempted to steal two cars at gunpoint, but was unsuccessful, police said.

SWAT teams, K-9 teams, police officers, a marine unit and air units looked for the suspect, but he was not located.

“I really thought he was going to shoot me,” said Sarah Ramey.

She said she walked out to her driveway after hearing gunshots Thursdsay morning and found herself face to face with a gunman.

“He put a gun to my head, touched my forehead with it, said if I didn't give him my keys, he was going to kill me.”

She said when she told him the car in the driveway belonged to her neighbor, he ran to the next house and tried to kick the door in.

Another neighbor said the gunman had been driving a white van.

“The white van came skidding across here,” said Jayson Cousins. “He jumped out and ran down the road.”

Lakewood police say the van belongs to JBLM and had been checked out by Suhanec. They spent hours searching for him, locking down nearby schools.

“It's crazy, with all the technology and dogs, I don't know why they couldn't find him,” Ramey said.

After Suhanec surrendered, he told police where he ditched his gun. They said it has been recovered.

Police said the victim in the Thursday shooting is expected to survive.