On the night of August 13, 2019, a gathering of family and friends in East Tacoma was shattered by a sudden barrage of gunfire that ended the life of 19-year-old Rigoberto Villagomez-Dillon. A Hispanic/Latino male, Villagomez-Dillon was one of five people struck by bullets in the 2100 block of East 38th Street and East Roosevelt Avenue. The shooting, which erupted around 11:40 p.m., also claimed the life of 26-year-old Antonie Holmes and left three women injured.
Emergency services were
flooded with 911 calls reporting the gunshots. Upon arrival, police discovered Holmes deceased at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Before authorities arrived, acquaintances had already rushed Villagomez-Dillon and the three wounded women to local hospitals. Despite their efforts, Villagomez-Dillon succumbed to his injuries at St. Joseph Medical Center. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that both he and Holmes died from multiple gunshot wounds, ruling their deaths as homicides. The injured women, aged 16, 17, and 34, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and were expected to recover.
The shooting took place near the home of Villagomez-Dillon's aunt and uncle. His aunt, Ara Hoptowit, remembered him as "a good kid" who "was loved by many." His uncle, William Satiacum, expressed his profound grief and frustration, noting that his nephew was shot just feet from his home. The incident left the community shaken, with residents accustomed to the sound of gunshots but devastated by the violence hitting so close to home.
In the wake of the shooting, the Tacoma Police Department launched a homicide investigation. However, no immediate arrests were made, and details about what led to the deadly encounter remained unclear. While a definitive motive was not established, there were concerns about the potential involvement of gang violence in the area. The suspects in the shooting remained at large. In a related but separate incident a few days later, a friend of Villagomez-Dillon was arrested for a drive-by shooting that he claimed was in remembrance of his slain friend. This event underscored the tensions in the community following the double homicide, which also led to the cancellation of one of the victim's funerals due to safety concerns.
