Tyrell Stokes, 29, a Black male, was shot in the early hours of October 23, 2016, amid a barrage of gunfire outside and inside a crowded party at the Opal Lounge on the 5200 block of South Tacoma Way in Tacoma, Washington. Officers nearby reported hearing roughly 20 to 30 shots around 2:08 a.m. and rushed to the scene. They found Stokes gravely wounded inside the nightclub; two other men in their 20s were also hit outside. Stokes was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.
The initial investigation drew a large police response as detectives worked through a chaotic scene with many witnesses and shell casings. Early statements from Tacoma police indicated that the shooters had not been identified and that there were no usable suspect descriptions at the time. In the months and years that followed, appeals for information continued to circulate, emphasizing the volume of gunfire that night and the likelihood that numerous partygoers saw or heard critical details. These public calls to come forward are the most consistent update on the case, and they reinforce that Stokes’ killing remains unsolved.
Records available today do not show any arrests in connection with Stokes’ death. Crime Stoppers notices and cold-case roundups continue to ask for tips identifying the person or people responsible, and recent repostings of the case still describe unknown suspects. Nothing in public reporting indicates that detectives have named, arrested, or charged a suspect.
