Suspect dead after deputy-involved shooting in Pierce County

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department reported a deputy-involved shooting in the 26000 block of 70th Avenue East Monday afternoon.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, the suspect was shot and killed during a shootout.

Deputies tell KIRO 7 a pursuit began just before 3 p.m. at the 25200 block of Mountain Highway around five miles away.

“I heard one or two gunshots,” said neighbor John Trussell.

The first shots rang out during a pursuit in front of Trussell’s home. He says he heard the suspect speeding through his neighborhood.

“There was a cop car here and then there was stops sticks here so I was assuming a guy kind of went up around there was another cop on that side of the road as well,” Trussell explained.

Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies tell me the suspect was a person of interest in other crimes.

When deputies tried to pull him over, they say the suspect failed to stop.

“While he was fleeing onto Mountain Highway, he did hit a deputy that was outside of his vehicle,” said Deputy Carly Cappetto with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

Cappetto said the suspect also struck a parked car as he sped down Mountain Highway onto 260th Street East.

Deputies were led on about a five-mile chase that ended on 70th Avenue East.

“I just heard multiple gunshots and yelling outside my classroom,” said resident Emily Padilla.

Another round of gunfire happened outside of Padilla’s home while she had kids over for daycare.

Deputies are investigating who fired shots first.

“It sounded like firework, that’s what I thought it was. But then I heard the yelling and then like it was like pew pew and stuff and, then I went in and it was super-fast and louder,” she added.

Padilla still couldn’t believe this would happen in her neighborhood.

“It’s honestly scary because we moved here from Puyallup not thinking anything, stuff like that would happen, but I guess it happens everywhere,” Padilla said.