Tacoma police investigating fatal shooting near community college; campus lockdown lifted
Police were called to investigate a homicide Wednesday near Tacoma Community College that led to the school’s campus being locked down.
Few details were immediately available about the killing, which occurred in the city’s West End. In a tweet, Tacoma Police Department said officers responded at about 1:13 p.m. for reports of a male shot in the 1400 block of South Mildred Street.
Police said the victim, a 16-year-old boy, was found unresponsive on the ground near an apartment building across the street from the college’s campus. Tacoma Fire Department personnel declared him dead at the scene.
Tacoma Community College, 6501 S. 19th St., went into a lockdown at about 1:30 p.m., the school said on Twitter. It was lifted shortly after 3 p.m. According to the school’s website, all doors to campus buildings were locked, and people were advised to stay away. Spokesperson Tamyra Howser said the lockdown was a precautionary decision, and there weren’t reports of anyone armed on campus. Howser said the school is on spring break, so few students are there.
No details were immediately available about the circumstances of the shooting, and no arrests have been made.
The killing was the 10th homicide in Tacoma so far this year. Police said it was the fifth homicide with a victim under 18. Four more killings have been recorded across Pierce County’s cities and towns. At this time last year, Tacoma had 15, and the county total was 34.
