In the early morning hours of Monday, September 23, 2024, the quiet of a Tacoma, Washington street was broken by a grim discovery. Officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of East 25th Street shortly before 5 a.m. following a report of a possible deceased person. Upon their arrival, they found an unresponsive 50-year-old Black / African American man, James Wilkinson, and immediately began life-saving measures.
The Tacoma Fire Department arrived soon after and pronounced him dead at the scene.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that Wilkinson's death was a homicide, caused by a gunshot wound to the chest. This ruling launched an intensive investigation by the Tacoma Police Department as they began to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting of the male victim. Detectives worked diligently, and their efforts quickly led to a significant development in the case.
Just two days later, on Wednesday, authorities announced a breakthrough. Investigators had established probable cause to arrest a suspect, a 42-year-old woman. She was taken into custody without incident around noon in the 1500 block of East 26th Street. The woman was booked into the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder. While an arrest has been made, the Tacoma Police Department has stated that the case remains an active and ongoing investigation.
