Tacoma teen allegedly fired at postal worker, robbed man. Here are the charges he faces
A Tacoma teenager has been charged in relation to a shooting that took place in south Tacoma this week.
Baye Omari Rife, 16, was charged Tuesday with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, unlawful possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree. A probable cause affidavit states Rife allegedly shot into a U.S. Postal Service vehicle and later robbed a person at gunpoint.
The News Tribune is naming Baye because he is being prosecuted as an adult in accordance with state law.
At around 10:57 a.m. May 9, Tacoma police responded to reports of shots fired at South 48th Street and Sheridan Avenue. A USPS employee told police she was standing next to the passenger door of her work vehicle when a 16- to 17-year-old wearing black clothing crossed by her. She heard four to five gunshots and jumped into her vehicle for cover.
The victim told authorities she saw a black gun in the suspect’s waistband. Bullet casings from a 9 mm firearm were found in the area, and at least one bullet hole was found in the vehicle. A window on the car was also shot out, according to court records.
Rife matched the description of an armed-robbery suspect from an incident that took place 10 minutes prior to the shooting, court records show. At 10:38 a.m., a man reported that he was robbed at gunpoint in the 600 block of South 34th Street.
The robbery victim said the gunman said, “Come on man.” The gunman then grabbed the victim’s neck and drew a black handgun, demanding the victim’s wallet, court records show. After the victim handed his wallet over, the gunman walked away. The pastor of a nearby church showed officers video surveillance of the incident.
Officers dispatched to the shooting found Rife running through yards and jumping fences near South 43rd Street and Wilkeson Street. A resident tipped officers to where Rife had headed and that he was hiding behind a garage. Officers found Rife in a carport and said he had a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun on him, court records show. Records revealed the weapon was reported stolen.
A witness of the shooting later confirmed to officers that Rife was the shooter, but the shooting victim, the USPS worker, wasn’t able to confirm that. The robbery victim also confirmed Rife as the suspect who stole from him, court records show.
Rife is currently being held at Remann Hall juvenile detention center. His bail is set at $500,000.
