On the evening of October 2, 2024, a 26-year-old Hispanic/Latino male named Oliver Naseri Vaovasa was walking to a market on Hosmer Street in Tacoma, Washington, to get some groceries. It was just after 8:00 p.m., and tragically, it would be a walk he would never complete. The night was shattered by the sound of gunfire, and sometime later, he was found by police who were responding to those reports.
Officers discovered Oliver near the 9500 block of South Steele Street, about a block
from where the gunshots had been reported, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he died later that evening. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office subsequently ruled his death a homicide. His passing marked the 19th homicide in Tacoma for the year 2024.
In the wake of the shooting, the community has been left with unanswered questions as, to date, no arrests have been made in connection with Oliver's murder, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Investigators are urging anyone with information about what happened that night to come forward. Those who knew Oliver remember him as a quiet man who enjoyed playing basketball and spoke when he had something to say. His friends and family are left to mourn the loss of a young life cut short. In response to this and other safety concerns in the area, the Hosmer Business Association has taken steps to hire private security to patrol the neighborhood.
