Tacoma police investigate downtown shooting that left a teenager dead
Oct 18, 2026, 2:16 PM | Updated: Oct 19, 2026, 7:46 am
Police tape runs across a crime scene. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A shooting early Sunday in downtown Tacoma has taken a teenager’s life.
Police officers arrived at 2:23 a.m. after reports of shots being fired in the 1100 block of Commerce Street.
They searched the area, about two blocks north of the University of Washington (UW) Tacoma campus, and found a juvenile male who looked like he had been shot.
“The call came in about shots being fired in the area, so officers were dispatched and showed up at the scene,” said Tacoma Police Spokesperson Shelbie Boyd. “They searched around for a little bit to locate a juvenile male with apparent gunshot wounds.”
Officers immediately began life-saving first aid.
Medics from the Tacoma Fire Department eventually arrived and pronounced the teen dead at the scene.
Homicide detectives and crime scene technicians also responded to the scene.
They are treating the case as a homicide.
“They’re going to get all the information from patrol (officers),” Boyd said. “They’re going to see what kind of witnesses they have there available to talk to. They’re going to look for video surveillance, and they’re just going to dive in and keep working it until they find someone who is responsible.”
Police are seeking any information available from witnesses or anyone who knows about the shooting. They also want to review video recorded in the area at the time of the incident.
“Anybody who has information, anybody who was there, anybody who might have video surveillance or cell phone (video) — people have them in their cars — anybody that may have captured this, please reach out,” Boyd said.
She says it’s a very difficult situation for the first officers arriving at the scene of a potential murder, especially when it involves a young person. They know their actions can have life-or-death ramifications for the victim they are trying to help.
Tacoma officers undergo extensive medical training that goes beyond basic first aid or CPR for situations like this. It includes wound packing, administering chest seals, and applying tourniquets.
“A lot of these officers, once they secure the scene, they then get dispatched to the next call,” Boyd said. “So the mental health side of it is something that’s really important to the Tacoma Police Department. And for this to be a juvenile, it’s extra hard.”
No other injuries have been reported from the shooting.
Police have not yet identified any suspects.
