TACOMA — A 19-year-old and three juveniles were arrested for investigation of multiple gun- and assault-related charges after a drive-by shooting in Tacoma early Monday morning, police said.
Officers saw shots coming from a car at 1:22 a.m. at the Alta Apartments at 97th Street and Steele Street, said Sgt. Darren Moss, spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. It’s unknown whether the suspects were shooting at Tacoma police or the apartments nearby. The police cruiser was undamaged.
Police chased the car for six minutes until the driver lost control and crashed near state Route 512 and Steele Street South. The people inside ran from the car at 1:28 a.m. and were chased down by police. The car caught fire for an unknown reason and was extinguished by the Tacoma Fire Department.
All four suspects were put into custody by 1:30 a.m., police said. The 19-year-old was arrested and booked into Pierce County Jail and the juveniles into the Remann Hall juvenile detention center.
The car was stolen.
All four suspects are facing charges of aggravated assault, drive-by shooting, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of stolen property, Tacoma police said.
Pierce County sheriff’s deputies later found the alleged victim of the shooting, Moss said.
“He was driving through, and they pulled up next to him and started shooting so he shot back,” Moss said. “We recovered at least 25 shell casings in the apartment complex.”
The victim’s car had bullet holes in it as did several other cars in the apartment complex, Moss said.
