In a tragic turn of events on a Wednesday afternoon in Tacoma, Washington, Ozell Tyrece Tate, a 37-year-old Black / African American man, lost his life. On March 11, 2020, in an alley in the city's Hilltop neighborhood, an argument escalated into fatal violence. A passerby alerted a nearby police officer to a fight unfolding in the Court G alley, between South 15th and 16th streets. Responding to the scene, the officer discovered Tate with a gunshot wound to his thigh.
In an effort to save his life, the officer applied a tourniquet before Tate was rushed to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the thigh.
The investigation into the homicide led authorities to identify Germi Rashad Zeigler as the suspect. The altercation between the two men reportedly began while Tate was seated in the passenger seat of a car. Zeigler approached, holding a gun in his hoodie pocket, and began yelling at Tate. According to a witness, Tate appeared scared and had his hands up, trying to de-escalate the situation. Despite Tate’s efforts, Zeigler fired two shots, striking him in the leg. Zeigler then fled the scene and the state. He was later apprehended by law enforcement in Macon, Georgia.
Germi Rashad Zeigler was initially tried and convicted of second-degree murder for Tate's death and sentenced in January 2022. However, this conviction was later overturned by the Washington State Court of Appeals due to a flawed jury instruction. Facing a new trial, Zeigler opted to plead guilty to the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. He admitted to recklessly causing the death of Ozell Tyrece Tate. In addition to manslaughter, Zeigler also pleaded guilty to second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and three counts of tampering with a witness. Following his plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of 18 years in prison.
