Man surrenders after bizarre shooting in Tacoma
TACOMA, Wash. - A bizarre incident on Tacoma's southeast side ended Friday when a man who allegedly tried to run down officers with a car surrendered after he was fired on by police.
Only an hour before, the same man allegedly jumped from the trunk of the car and fought with officers.
"It was a trip; exciting morning deal, that's for sure," said neighbor Rob Smith.
The episode began near the intersection of 61st Street and I Street at about 9 a.m. as officers responded to a report of shots fired from one car at another.
Police pulled over a car suspected of being involved in the shootings and arrested a woman who was driving.
During the arrest, a man suddenly emerged from the trunk of the woman's car and got into a scuffle with officers.
Police fired at him with a Taser, but he managed to get back into the car and drive it toward the officers, who got off at least one shot at the man as they jumped out of the way.
The car then sped away, and police chased after the fleeing late model Pontiac.
"It starts off with a couple of cars with an unknown connection as to what they're doing, but one shooting at the other, then hiding in the trunk, jumping out, fighting with the officers, trying to run them over, very unusual," said Mark Fulghum with Tacoma Police.
When officers caught up with the Pontiac, the man had bailed out and the car was empty. Officers then sealed off an area covering several blocks as they searched for the suspect.
The dog-tracking teams pointed the SWAT officers in the right direction and authorities were able to trace the suspect to a home in the area.
They got on the phone trying to talk him out, with the help of the woman who lives there. She was outside with police using their negotiation phone.
"They were asking him to come out," said neighbor Joyce Courtney. "They said they had him surrounded and to come out."
The negotiations worked. The suspect gave, but was too injured to come out, so the SWAT team went in and got him, and shortly afterward he was carried out of the home on a stretcher, then taken to Tacoma General Hospital.
Police did not say how the man was injured or if he was hit when officers fired on him.
The officer who fired the shot is on routine administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.
Only an hour before, the same man allegedly jumped from the trunk of the car and fought with officers.
"It was a trip; exciting morning deal, that's for sure," said neighbor Rob Smith.
The episode began near the intersection of 61st Street and I Street at about 9 a.m. as officers responded to a report of shots fired from one car at another.
Police pulled over a car suspected of being involved in the shootings and arrested a woman who was driving.
During the arrest, a man suddenly emerged from the trunk of the woman's car and got into a scuffle with officers.
Police fired at him with a Taser, but he managed to get back into the car and drive it toward the officers, who got off at least one shot at the man as they jumped out of the way.
The car then sped away, and police chased after the fleeing late model Pontiac.
"It starts off with a couple of cars with an unknown connection as to what they're doing, but one shooting at the other, then hiding in the trunk, jumping out, fighting with the officers, trying to run them over, very unusual," said Mark Fulghum with Tacoma Police.
When officers caught up with the Pontiac, the man had bailed out and the car was empty. Officers then sealed off an area covering several blocks as they searched for the suspect.
The dog-tracking teams pointed the SWAT officers in the right direction and authorities were able to trace the suspect to a home in the area.
They got on the phone trying to talk him out, with the help of the woman who lives there. She was outside with police using their negotiation phone.
"They were asking him to come out," said neighbor Joyce Courtney. "They said they had him surrounded and to come out."
The negotiations worked. The suspect gave, but was too injured to come out, so the SWAT team went in and got him, and shortly afterward he was carried out of the home on a stretcher, then taken to Tacoma General Hospital.
Police did not say how the man was injured or if he was hit when officers fired on him.
The officer who fired the shot is on routine administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.