Two individuals lost their lives and four others were injured in a shooting that occurred during an early morning house party in Tacoma, Washington, as reported by authorities on Saturday.
The information was released by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department through a statement on social media, confirming that a male juvenile had been taken into custody, although his age was not disclosed.
The incident unfolded shortly before 12:30 a.m. when deputies were alerted to a chaotic scene with 30 to 40 young people running and screaming from the location of the house party. Numerous callers reported a street altercation that quickly escalated into a shooting. By the time deputies arrived, shots had been fired, and the scene became more chaotic as both people and vehicles scrambled to flee. “Vehicles were getting stuck in the neighborhood while chaos embodied the entire street,” detailed the statement from the department.
Responding deputies attempted lifesaving efforts on one male victim at the scene, but he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries, according to the statement. Five other individuals injured in the melee sought medical attention by going to local hospitals on their own. At a later point, authorities learned that another male victim had passed away at a hospital from injuries sustained during the incident. The other four individuals, though seriously injured, are expected to survive, as noted in the statement.
The ages of the shooting victims range from 16 to 21.
In addition to the human toll, nearby homes and vehicles suffered damage from the gunfire. Authorities conducted welfare checks on neighboring residences to ensure there were no additional injuries and confirmed that two weapons were recovered from the scene.
Tacoma is located roughly 34 miles (55 kilometers) south of Seattle, making it a part of the larger metropolitan area.
Home House Party in Washington Ends with 2 Dead, 4 Hurt