'If it were up to me, I would kill him'
PUYALLUP, Wash. -- The woman accused of beating up and threatening a sex offender who had moved into her neighborhood says she was only trying to protect her daughter.
Tammy Lee Gibson told investigators she beat up William A. Baldwin with a baseball bat outside his home earlier this week. Gibson said she wouldn't hesitate to do it again, even as she faces assault and felony harassment charges.
While awaiting trial in jail, Gibson told KOMO News on Thursday she has no regrets.
"If it were up to me, I would kill him. I would kill him," she said.
According to police documents, Level-3 sex offender William A. Baldwin had moved into his uncle's Puyallup home earlier this month. Following his move, Pierce County deputies distributed flyers around the neighborhood to alert residents of his presence.
On Monday Gibson, an area resident, went to Baldwin's house in the 1800 block of River Road and asked for him.
When Baldwin stepped outside, she claimed she was going to kill him because Baldwin had molested her children. Gibson then proceeded to hit Baldwin repeatedly with her bat, the document said, leaving him with an injured arm.
"I kept swingin' and swingin', and swingin'," Gibson told investigators.
Contrary to what she had said to Baldwin, Gibson later told investigators Baldwin had not molested her children.
She did say, however, that when she saw the flyer, she recognized Baldwin as the man who had chatted up her 10-year-old daughter during the previous summer. It may have been Baldwin's unusual height of 7 feet 3 inches that made him memorable.
"For him to be right there, in front of my house and talking to my child -- made me crazy," she said.
The flyer listed the wrong address for Baldwin, but Gibson knew where Baldwin lived and sought him out.
"And I told him I thought he was a piece of crap and I smacked him," she said. "I just didn't stop hitting him. I just told him that 'if it were up to me, I'd kill ya."'
"I was scared. I was frightened. I didn't know what the hell to do," Baldwin said of being assaulted by the unexpected visitor.
"I just wanted to hurt him," said Gibson.
In 1998, Baldwin was convicted of molesting a 5-year-old girl. While on parole, he sexually assaulted another 5-year-old girl the following year, the sheriff's department said.
But on Thursday Baldwin said he had not harmed anyone since then. He also said Monday's incident was the second time he had been beaten up for being a sex offender. Baldwin said his past refuses to stay behind.
"I want people to know me for who I am, not what I did in the past. If they can't accept that, then I don't need anything to do with them," he said.
But Gibson has no ear for Baldwin's complaints.
"And I don't care what anybody else thinks about it," she said, "but it makes me crazy to think the thought of him hurting a child."
Baldwin is now in jail for failure to follow the rules of the sex offender registry. While investigating the assault, deputies learned that Baldwin had registered his new address as the 7900 block of River Road when he actually lived in the 1800 block.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday. He is being held on $20,000 bail. Baldwin said he does not have money as he has no job.
Baldwin is believed to be at high risk of re-offending, but was not under community supervision at the time of his arrest.
Gibson, meanwhile, is being held on $15,000 bail. Her friends, who view her as a hero, are working to raise $1,500 to post bond.
Tammy Lee Gibson told investigators she beat up William A. Baldwin with a baseball bat outside his home earlier this week. Gibson said she wouldn't hesitate to do it again, even as she faces assault and felony harassment charges.
While awaiting trial in jail, Gibson told KOMO News on Thursday she has no regrets.
"If it were up to me, I would kill him. I would kill him," she said.
According to police documents, Level-3 sex offender William A. Baldwin had moved into his uncle's Puyallup home earlier this month. Following his move, Pierce County deputies distributed flyers around the neighborhood to alert residents of his presence.
On Monday Gibson, an area resident, went to Baldwin's house in the 1800 block of River Road and asked for him.
When Baldwin stepped outside, she claimed she was going to kill him because Baldwin had molested her children. Gibson then proceeded to hit Baldwin repeatedly with her bat, the document said, leaving him with an injured arm.
"I kept swingin' and swingin', and swingin'," Gibson told investigators.
Contrary to what she had said to Baldwin, Gibson later told investigators Baldwin had not molested her children.
She did say, however, that when she saw the flyer, she recognized Baldwin as the man who had chatted up her 10-year-old daughter during the previous summer. It may have been Baldwin's unusual height of 7 feet 3 inches that made him memorable.
"For him to be right there, in front of my house and talking to my child -- made me crazy," she said.
The flyer listed the wrong address for Baldwin, but Gibson knew where Baldwin lived and sought him out.
"And I told him I thought he was a piece of crap and I smacked him," she said. "I just didn't stop hitting him. I just told him that 'if it were up to me, I'd kill ya."'
"I was scared. I was frightened. I didn't know what the hell to do," Baldwin said of being assaulted by the unexpected visitor.
"I just wanted to hurt him," said Gibson.
In 1998, Baldwin was convicted of molesting a 5-year-old girl. While on parole, he sexually assaulted another 5-year-old girl the following year, the sheriff's department said.
But on Thursday Baldwin said he had not harmed anyone since then. He also said Monday's incident was the second time he had been beaten up for being a sex offender. Baldwin said his past refuses to stay behind.
"I want people to know me for who I am, not what I did in the past. If they can't accept that, then I don't need anything to do with them," he said.
But Gibson has no ear for Baldwin's complaints.
"And I don't care what anybody else thinks about it," she said, "but it makes me crazy to think the thought of him hurting a child."
Baldwin is now in jail for failure to follow the rules of the sex offender registry. While investigating the assault, deputies learned that Baldwin had registered his new address as the 7900 block of River Road when he actually lived in the 1800 block.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday. He is being held on $20,000 bail. Baldwin said he does not have money as he has no job.
Baldwin is believed to be at high risk of re-offending, but was not under community supervision at the time of his arrest.
Gibson, meanwhile, is being held on $15,000 bail. Her friends, who view her as a hero, are working to raise $1,500 to post bond.