Bonney Lake shooting after trailer theft leaves two dead, suspect at large
Sep 16, 2024, 8:31 AM | Updated: 2:17 pm
(Photo courtesy of Pierce County Sheriff's Department)
A driver allegedly fled the scene of a deadly shooting and road rage incident in Bonney Lake, prompting an active search for the suspect by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD).
Three people in a white pickup truck allegedly stole a trailer Sunday morning in the Prairie Ridge neighborhood, a couple of miles east. The owner of the trailer, alongside another man, chased after the thieves in another vehicle — a gold-colored truck.
More local news: Two-alarm apartment fire in Edmonds leaves two injured
According to KIRO 7, the owners of the trailer and the thieves stealing it rammed and fired shots at each other as they drove. Eventually, they crashed into each other along Falling Water Boulevard East and Rhodes Lake Road East. Despite the collision, the two parties continued firing at each other.
“Heard about 10 gunshots,” a nearby resident, Jessica Dodge, recalled to KIRO 7. “Ten to 12 gunshots.”
Double Homicide in Bonney Lake over a stolen trailer.
PCSD BLOTTERhttps://t.co/odQ6BsIYrI pic.twitter.com/7pkb1eojpp
— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) September 15, 2024
When the shooting ended, two men were killed by gunfire. One was a 36-year-old man from Orting. The other was a 46-year-old man from Sumner.
“At the scene, there was a severely injured man in the back seat of a white pickup and a deceased man on the ground next to the white pickup,” Pierce County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darren Moss, Jr. told KIRO Newsradio. “Two people reportedly ran from the vehicles and there was gunfire exchanged between them.”
Moss Jr. confirmed that one person from each vehicle was killed in the gunfire. The driver of the white truck has not been located at this time.
One man was arrested and taken into custody shortly after the collision. A woman who ran from the scene was found and arrested later while walking on a trail behind Victor Falls Elementary School.
More local shootings: Shooting at house party in Sumner leaves one dead, two hurt
The driver of the white pickup truck managed to escape. PCSD is continuing its search for him, as of this reporting. Police Departments from Sumner, Orting and Bonney Lake all assisted in the case.
Deputies believe the driver of the white truck who escaped has been shot. If anyone sees him, it is recommended not to approach him, and to get a good description and call 911 instead.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
Contributing: KIRO 7
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.