Body cam footage released shows deadly shooting involving police in Tacoma
New body cam footage released shows moments leading up to deadly police shooting
A man was shot and killed by Tacoma police in August after investigators say he fired over a dozen shots at officers.
TACOMA, Wash. - The Pierce County Force Investigation Team has released body cam footage of a deadly shooting involving a man and three Tacoma police officers.
On Aug. 28., officers were called to a domestic violence incident near 67th and Monroe St at 12:26 p.m. The caller told dispatch he was assaulted by his 40-year-old uncle, saying he was not attacked with a weapon, but warned his uncle had several guns and "might try to shoot police," according to police.
Police arrived and contacted the victim around 2 p.m. They developed probable cause for arrest on fourth-degree domestic violence assault, so they tried to talk with the suspect around 2:46 p.m., but police say he was uncooperative.
Tacoma Police reported officers advised "shots fired" over the radio. Authorities claim the man started shooting at them for "several minutes" starting at 2:57 p.m. before running into his home.
The suspect was reportedly still shooting after reloading at 3:01 p.m. According to PCFIT, the suspect fired 15 times at officers.
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He ran out of his home, armed with two semi-automatic rifles, two handguns and a large amount of ammo, PCFIT said. He then ran off and tried to enter another person's home and demand their car, but the homeowner thwarted him, PCFIT learned.
He ran off again and ended up on S. Madison Street, still firing shots at officers. It was there that he was shot and killed by officers.
PCFIT says officers fired nine rounds in return at the suspect. He died at the scene.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office said he died from a rifle wound to the chest. The man had two gunshot wounds-- one was consistent with a shot fired by officers and the other consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to PCFIT.
However, the Medical Examiner said his manner of death was homicide.
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No officers were injured in the shooting. The three officers were placed on administrative leave, per policy, when there is a police shooting.
PCFIT is a team of detectives, forensic investigators and public information officers from several law enforcement agencies throughout Pierce County. The agency was created to provide independent investigations of deadly force incidents involving officers.