Michael Allen Ward Jr., aged 33, was tragically shot and killed on September 7, 2014, in Tacoma, Washington. The incident occurred outside an after-hours nightclub in the Lincoln District of Tacoma. According to reports, Ward was seated in his brown Cadillac when Vernon Curry Jr. approached the passenger side of the vehicle and fired multiple shots, hitting Ward several times.
The shooting happened shortly after 4 a.m., and Ward succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward.
The investigation into Ward's death led to the arrest of Vernon Curry Jr. on the same day. Court documents revealed that an officer, who was already in the area responding to an unrelated complaint, observed a man in a mask running from the scene where shots were fired. Detectives were able to use surveillance video and social media to link Curry to the crime scene, where a mask and gun were recovered. Curry was charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty. His bail was set at $2 million.
The legal proceedings culminated in a three-week trial in May 2016, where a jury convicted Vernon Curry Jr. of first-degree murder. During the sentencing hearing, the judge heard statements from both the victim's and the defendant's families. The prosecution argued for a high-end sentence, describing the crime as a 'slow burn' rather than a heat-of-the-moment act. Ultimately, Curry was sentenced to over 47 years in prison, which included a 120-month firearm enhancement, totaling 570 months.
Ward's family, deeply affected by the loss, organized an anti-violence rally at Lincoln Park, close to where he was killed. They expressed their grief and the impact of the tragedy on their lives, hoping to raise awareness and prevent similar incidents in the future. The community's response highlighted the broader issue of violence and the need for collective efforts to address it.
