Court docs: Man arrested for 'terrorizing' Tacoma woman previously arrested for assaulting strangers

A man arrested for 'terrorizing' a Tacoma woman has been previously charged for assaulting strangers on at least two separate occasions, according to court documents. 

In late May, FOX 13 spoke to homeowner and single mom Ginger Rivera, who said a man she didn't know was seen on camera smashing her fence, throwing things through her window, and even leaving dead animals in her yard, according to court documents.

He would sometimes return multiple times a day, Rivera said. 

Rivera called police each time the man damaged her property, but she was told it was a low-priority crime, Rivera told FOX 13.

Days after FOX 13 aired her story, police identified and arrested the man seen damaging property on Rivera's surveillance footage.

He was later identified as 45-year-old Brian Shedwin.

Shedwin was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree malicious mischief. Court documents say he has caused around $3,300 in damage to Rivera's property. 

"A little bit in disbelief. It happened so quickly. I'm elated and excited, but then my mind starts racing and I think about all the possibilities around this as well," Rivera told FOX 13 after Shedwin's arrest. 

According to court documents, Shedwin has been previously arrested for different assaults of strangers.

In January of this year, he was charged for an assault out of Bremerton where he allegedly threatened to hit a Domino's employee and refused to leave the business. He also allegedly caused minor injuries to a police officer during his arrest for that incident, according to court documents. A trial for that case is scheduled for June 6.

In 2020, Shedwin was also arrested for allegedly slamming his body into the driver's side of a couple's car door and threatened them while "yelling things that didn't make sense," according to court documents. 

He did not know the couple and they are unsure as to why he targeted them. 

That 2020 case was dismissed after a judge ruled Shedwin was not competent to stand trial.  

For the case involving Rivera, bail was set at $15,000 for Shedwin, and he was ordered to stay away from the victim. 

"I have a completely different perspective now. I don't feel safe anymore. I don't know how long it's gonna be until I feel safe. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I don't know if it's gonna be him or someone else," Rivera said.