A quiet stretch of Tacoma’s South End turned into a major crime scene before dawn Tuesday, after a woman was shot inside an occupied house and rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to police. Officers responded to the 8800 block of South D Street, near Fern Hill Park, and found the wounded woman inside the home. Investigators say they are still working to untangle what led up to the gunfire.
Officer Shelbie Boyd told FOX 13 Seattle that officers were dispatched around 4:10 a.m. after multiple callers reported shots fired. She said the victim was alert when officers first contacted her but was later listed in critical condition. As of Tuesday morning, detectives were processing the scene and no arrests had been made.
Detectives recovered 57 bullet casings at the scene, according to news reports, a number that hints at how intense the shooting may have been. Scanner traffic captured by local outlets indicated witnesses reported hearing 20–30 shots and seeing a vehicle speeding away. At least one caller reported three males on foot in the area, but police have not confirmed how many shooters might have been involved, according to Yahoo News.
Context and police response
The shooting comes as Tacoma leaders continue to wrestle with how to tackle gun violence and where to put their money and manpower. A planned ShotSpotter gunshot-detection pilot was shut down last year after ongoing debate over whether the technology was worth the cost, signaling a shift in the city’s strategy on detection tools and resource allocation. The decision was detailed by GovTech, summarizing prior coverage from The News Tribune…