WSP: Highway shootings increase in Pierce, King counties

Highway shootings on the increase in Pierce, King Counties

There have been 17 highway shootings reported in King County alone since the start of the new year.

SEATTLE - In Pierce County, Washington State Patrol reported two highway shootings, within eight minutes of each other on March 20.

The first shooting was reported on northbound I-5 in Tacoma, near 38th Street. The second occurred just minutes later near Thorne Lane in Lakewood.

The shootings appear to be unrelated. No one was hurt in either shooting.

There have been 17 highway shootings reported in King County alone since the start of the new year, according to Washington State Patrol.

"It’s obviously alarming, year to date. Last year in 2021, we had 12, so definitely an increase," said Trooper Rick Johnson with Washington State Patrol.

In Pierce County, Trooper Robert Reyer said that Washington State Patrol had responded to at least 23 shootings since the beginning of the year.

Another recent shooting occurred on March 19, when a woman was driving northbound on I-5 in Federal Way with her daughter when someone opened fire on their car.

According to WSP, the incident began when the woman was approaching SR 99 from S. 348th Street when a white Dodge Charger cut her off.

The driver of the Charger then followed the victim onto I-5 north and fired several rounds at the victim's car, WSP said. The driver then sped off down I-5.

The bullet shattered her back window and blasted through a visor in the front seats, coming dangerously close to striking them in the head.

"Through a witness who observed this, the Charger was apparently being chased by a gray car. That was the one that was actually observed firing the weapon. That (victim) was in between the gray car and the white Charger that was being most likely targeted," said Johnson.

The woman, too shaken up to be on camera for a FOX 13 interview, described the situation as "unbelievable."

She told FOX 13 it never crossed her mind that they would be getting shot at "during a trip to work".

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