Fatal Stabbing Incident in Washington State as Deputies Attempt to Serve Protection Order
In a tragic turn of events on Tuesday morning, a man fatally stabbed four individuals in Washington state as authorities were on their way to serve him a domestic violence protection order. The suspect was subsequently shot by a deputy and pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office had initially been dispatched at 8:40 a.m. following reports of a 32-year-old man violating a no-contact order at a residence on the Key Peninsula, located northwest of Tacoma. Upon acquiring a copy of the order, it was discovered that the order was not valid as it had not been served to the man. Deputies then proceeded to deliver the order.
While en route, at approximately 9:30 a.m., further reports were received indicating that the man was engaged in a stabbing spree outside the home. Officer Shelbie Boyd, spokesperson for the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, confirmed that the first deputy reached the scene within three minutes, at which point the suspect was shot and killed.
At the scene, three of the stabbing victims were already deceased, and a fourth succumbed to injuries while being transported to a hospital.
Court documents from Pierce County reveal that in May of the previous year, a woman residing at the address secured a one-year protection order against her son, the suspect. The woman noted in her application that her son suffered from mental health and substance abuse problems, had previously been physically aggressive, and had made threats, including stating that her “grave has been already dug up.”
The woman further detailed in her records that her son was “threatening me, abusing me both mentally and emotionally. Doing witchcraft/occult behavior and doing rituals in my home,” she wrote. “Damaging personal belongings. Hurting my cat. … I am an elderly disabled woman and he is taking advantage of me and my health.”
The protection order mandated that the suspect refrain from possessing dangerous weapons, maintain a distance of 1,000 feet from his mother’s residence, vehicle, and comply with a prescribed mental health treatment regimen, including medication.
It remains unclear why the protection order had not been served earlier. In Washington state, recipients of such orders can request law enforcement to deliver them or employ a private investigator or process server for the task. Delays can occur if the subject’s location is unknown.
Local resident Chris Cardenas, who lives a short drive from the crime scene, recounted hearing gunfire while washing his truck. “All of a sudden I just heard like a series of gunshots,” he said. “You could really hear it echoing through the trees.” He described the subsequent 40 minutes of incessant sirens and the sight of numerous emergency vehicles upon visiting the scene. “I immediately knew something was up because I’ve never heard gunshots out here,” he added.
