Concern grows over rising crime in the South Sound after violent weekend

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — One man is dead and another is seriously injured after two separate shootings in Pierce County this weekend.

A shooting at a Spanaway bar seriously injured one man Sunday.

Just thirty minutes later, a shooting in Graham left another man dead after detectives say an intoxicated man was asked to leave a bar, then grabbed a gun from his truck in the parking lot and started shooting.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Darren Moss says he believes the rise in violent crime is related to several factors including COVID-19, police reform laws and staffing shortages.

“We definitely have to be more reactive now,” said Moss.

The department is down by 48 deputies, which has led to a lack of proactive enforcement units and cuts to the crime suppression team, who go after highly-violent offenders.

“When does he have time to go follow up on one of those cases? Because every day, there’s another 10 calls waiting for him. There’s way more than that, actually,” said Moss.

There have been eight homicides in unincorporated areas of Pierce County — which excludes cities like Tacoma and Puyallup — so far this year and Tacoma has seen nine homicides.

In comparison, the city of Seattle, which is more than three times the size of Tacoma, has had 11 homicides.

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