In the early morning hours of November 5, 2023, the life of Monic Lashaye Swan, a 34-year-old Black/African American woman, was tragically cut short. Described by her family as a "free spirit" who worked in the medical field, she was at The Alleycat Patio and Lounge on 6th Avenue in Tacoma, Washington, when violence erupted. Just after 1:30 a.m., an argument that reportedly started over a comment about someone's hairline near the pool tables escalated into a brief fistfight and then,
devastatingly, into gunfire.
Monic was not involved in the initial altercation. She was reportedly walking through the doorway to enter the establishment when she was struck in the head by a bullet. She was one of five people shot in the incident. Monic was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to her injuries. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed her cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and ruled it a homicide. Another patron, James Reha, also lost his life in the shooting, and three other individuals sustained serious injuries.
The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Alante Peterson, turned himself in to the Tacoma Police Department later that same day. Witnesses described Peterson as firing his weapon in a circular motion, seemingly shooting randomly and indiscriminately into the crowd after the initial dispute. He was subsequently charged with two counts of aggravated first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree murder, and three counts of first-degree assault. Peterson is being held at the Pierce County Jail on a $4 million bail while the legal process continues. In the wake of the tragedy, a memorial of candles and flowers grew outside the lounge, a testament to the community's grief for Monic Swan and the other victims of a senseless act of violence.
