8 hours ago
Man accused of shooting cousin at Les Davis Pier in Tacoma, charges say
A 33-year-old man is accused of shooting his cousin after a fistfight at Tacoma's Les Davis Pier on Sunday.
Officers were dispatched at about 9:30 p.m. to the 3400 block of Ruston Way after multiple people called 911 to report the shooting. The alleged shooter was on scene, according to charging documents.
A crowd had formed around the injured man, who was lying on the ground, prosecutors wrote. The man was initially in critical condition after he was taken to Tacoma General Hospital, but police were later informed his status was changed to non-life threatening.
The alleged shooter was standing a few feet away, and he complied with the officer's demands to drop to his knees, prosecutors wrote. He had not been shot and, the handgun was allegedly in his fanny pack.
After officers arrested the man and read his Miranda rights, he allegedly said, 'I feared for my life because he did come at me attacking me,' documents show.
A witness told police that she was sitting in her vehicle when she saw two men 'striking and grappling' with one another. The victim began walking away and, when he faced his cousin, the alleged shooter took out a handgun and fired at his chest, documents show. The gunman allegedly shot the victim again at his right hip.
The witness said she went to the victim and started providing medical aid. She said the man allegedly repeated that it was 'self-defense' and approached to help. The witness responded saying it was not self-defense, and said she yelled at him to get back, documents show.
The parents of the 33-year-old alleged shooter told police that the men were cousins and roommates, prosecutors wrote.
Officers later learned from the victim's girlfriend that the men had been arguing all morning because the gunman wanted to kick the victim out of the apartment, prosecutors wrote. The girlfriend and victim went to the park to relax when the alleged shooter found them and started arguing with his cousin.
Documents show the alleged shooter grabbed the victim's clothes from the vehicle and threw them on the ground. The girlfriend was in the driver's seat of her car when she heard two shots. She allegedly saw the defendant with a gun and the victim on the ground, bleeding.
Other witnesses also told police they saw the man with a gun after they heard gunshots, documents show.
Prosecutors in Pierce County charged the man with first-degree assault, domestic violence. His arraignment was scheduled for Monday afternoon where bail will be set.
The man does not have any previous criminal convictions, court records show.
