Suspect arrested in fatal shooting of woman in South Hill

TACOMA — A 46-year-old woman was fatally shot outside her car in South Hill with her 5-year-old daughter just feet away, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

Detectives arrested a 19-year-old man, who had recently broken up with the victim’s 15-year-old daughter. The woman was identified as Teresa Ryan.

Investigators were called to the scene about 8:15 a.m. and found Ryan with three gunshot wounds. She died on the way to the hospital or soon after arriving, sheriff’s spokesman Jerry Bates said.

Ryan’s 5-year-old daughter was in the back seat of the car but was not injured. The family’s dog, which was in a fenced yard, was also shot dead as the ex-boyfriend fled.

Ryan’s husband was at work at the time, the sheriff’s department said.

A suspected shooter was quickly identified, and Tacoma police arrested him.

The teen daughter, who was at a friend’s house duiring the shooting, had been trying to break off her relationship with the suspect, Bates said.

Her parents had intervened to try to keep him away from her.

Neighbors described a series of recent incidents at the home, including a burglary. Gabe Colbern said that after the burglary, the father of the family warned neighbors about break-ins and asked them to keep an eye out for the stolen items.