Shooting in Lakewood leads to pursuit and arrest of suspect American Lake Park closed
News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. 4 hrs ago Sean Robinson, The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
Jun. 27 One man was in custody Saturday after a shooting at American Lake Park in Lakewood sent another man to Madigan Army Medical Center with multiple gunshot wounds, Lakewood Police said. The victim s condition is unknown.
The shots were fired around 7 p.m., and led to a police pursuit of the fleeing suspect, who was arrested shortly afterward, according to Chief Mike Zaro. No one else was hurt. As of Saturday, the suspect was still being interviewed by police, he said.
George Floyd’s murder sparked worldwide protests against police brutality. When it came to new police accountability measures enacted in Washington state this year, the focus was on people killed closer to home.
Did Troyer’s decision to follow newspaper carrier violate Sheriff’s Department policy? By Stacia Glenn, The News Tribune
Published: April 13, 2021, 11:35am
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A Pierce County Sheriff’s Department policy says it is “generally discouraged” for personnel to intervene in minor crimes while off-duty.
The policy recommends that instead deputies report possible criminal activity to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
It has not been determined whether Sheriff Ed Troyer violated the policy in January during a confrontation with a Black newspaper carrier near his West End Tacoma home. That is something that might be determined by an investigator hired by the County Council on a fact-finding mission.
Investigative panel would not include police, r
eports would go back to prosecutors, police for decision making…
Fred Thomas believes if an independent team had investigated his son’s death, the outcome would have been much different.
In May 2013, 30-year-old Leonard Thomas was shot by Lakewood police sniper Brian Markert after a four-hour standoff between Thomas and the Pierce County Metro SWAT team. The team responded to a domestic dispute at Thomas’ home in Fife. Thomas was unarmed and holding his 4-year-old son in his arms when Markert shot him.
When Fred Thomas and his family pursued legal action, he said they faced an uphill battle. A unanimous federal court jury finally decided on a $15 million settlement for what they found was a wrongful death. However, Fred Thomas said civil suits are not the same as accountability.