In the late morning of August 22, 2023, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace in a Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington, leaving two people dead. One of the individuals was Robert Daly-Romero, a 41-year-old Caucasian male. The fatal encounter unfolded at a bus stop situated across from James Sales Elementary School, near the intersection of 112th Street South and 12th Avenue South.
When sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene around 11:30 a.m., they discovered a grim tableau: one individual was already deceased, and another was in critical condition.
Paramedics fought to save the second person, but their efforts were in vain, and he succumbed to his injuries approximately ten minutes after the arrival of law enforcement. The other party involved in the deadly exchange was identified as 18-year-old Jordan Copley. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that both Daly-Romero and Copley died from gunshot wounds, with their deaths officially ruled as homicides. Daly-Romero sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest, while Copley was shot in the face.
According to officials, the evidence suggests that the two men were engaged in an argument that escalated to the point where they shot and killed one another. A red bicycle belonging to one of the victims was left behind at the scene as investigators began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to the deadly confrontation. Authorities canvassed the neighborhood, knocking on doors and speaking with potential witnesses in an effort to understand the catalyst for the altercation.
As of the immediate aftermath, it remained unclear what sparked the dispute or if any other individuals were involved in the incident. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department has stated that the case is still considered open and the investigation is ongoing. There have been no reports of any other suspects being sought or any arrests made in connection with the deaths of Robert Daly-Romero and Jordan Copley, as law enforcement continues to operate under the initial assessment that the two men were responsible for each other's deaths.
