Employee shot while interrupting Tacoma smash-and-grab burglary

TACOMA, Wash. - An employee was shot while interrupting an apparent smash-and-grab burglary Thursday morning at a Tacoma business, police said. 

Before 3 a.m., an alarm company was alerted about a burglary at a strip mall in the 6400 block of South Tacoma Way. 

As officers responded, an off-site manager reported an employee was shot at the location. 

According to police, suspects drove their car through the front door of a grocery store and next door, a restaurant's alarm went off, which alerted the alarm company. 

Investigators said the employee lived nearby, heard the alarm and went to the strip mall to see what was happening. 

Police said the employee interrupted a burglary and was shot. The suspects fled the scene.

The employee was taken to a hospital nearby with non-life-threatening injuries. His condition is unknown. 

Descriptions of the suspects were not released and Tacoma police believe the car involved was stolen.

When FOX 13 crews arrived at the scene, the store's front door was damaged. 

The investigation remains ongoing.