2nd teenager arrested in Tacoma pot-shop heist where thieves exchanged gunfire with security officer
Tacoma Washington February 25 2023 A second teenager was arrested Monday for the attack on a Tacoma cannabis store that sent a car through its front doors and ended with a shootout between the thieves and a security guard. Tacoma police arrested the 18-year-old in association with the Oct. 28 incident that was caught on video.
The man had a stolen gun in his possession when he was taken into custody, police said.
As one vehicle rammed into Zips Cannabis’ front doors at 2611 Pacific Ave., two others pulled up.
The business was closed at the time.
At least six people emerged from the vehicles and entered the store, according to video provided by Tacoma police. The suspects threw store merchandise into bags before running back outside. Multiple thieves exchanged gunfire with the armed security guard who had been outside the store.
One thief was thought to have been struck by gunfire, police said at the time. The guard was not injured. The thieves fled in one of the vehicles and on foot. Initially, no suspects were located, but two stolen vehicles were left at the scene. The first suspect was arrested Dec. 5.
The adult suspect faces charges of assault in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, burglary in the first degree and unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, Tacoma police said in a news release.
Statements in the first suspect’s court file indicated that police have linked the Zips case to a string of similar rammings and robberies in Pierce County, Auburn and Olympia.
Police said the investigation is continuing.
thenewstribune.com
