In the early morning hours of July 11, 2020, a young Hispanic/Latino man named Benito Juarez, 23, lost his life in a burst of gunfire along Tacoma's scenic Ruston Way. The incident unfolded just before 2:00 a.m. in the 3900 block of the waterfront area, a popular gathering spot. When police arrived at the scene near Cummings Park, they found several vehicles speeding away and discovered Juarez with critical injuries.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by the officers and the subsequent arrival of medics from the Tacoma Fire Department, he was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later confirmed that a single gunshot wound to the forehead was the cause of death.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a confrontation between two groups present at the waterfront that night. According to court records, members of two different street gangs were in the parking lot when a dispute erupted. Witnesses reported that a younger male showed disrespect to a member of the other group, which escalated the tension. Shortly after, shots were fired from the center of the parking lot, and witnesses identified a 17-year-old, Troy Lee Justice Jr., as the gunman.
Within a week of the fatal shooting, on July 18, Tacoma police arrested Justice Jr. during a traffic stop. He was initially charged as an adult with first-degree murder and his bail was set at $1 million. In June 2021, Justice Jr. pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm in Pierce County Juvenile Court. He was sentenced to confinement until he turns 25. His defense attorney stated that Justice Jr. and his friends had gone to the waterfront for a birthday party and had unknowingly chosen a spot occupied by an older, intoxicated group, leading to a violent confrontation.
Benito Juarez's family described him as an innocent victim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had no gang affiliations. A statement from his family remembered him as someone with a great sense of humor who people were drawn to and confided in, and who possessed a laugh like a dolphin. He had a passion for fast cars, was not an aggressive person, and did not hold grudges. He was one of seven siblings. His family's wish was for justice to be rightfully served for the senseless act of gun violence that cut his promising life short.
