Detectives investigate shooting involving police officer in Tacoma

Woman dies after shooting with police

A 61-year-old was shot and killed by an officer after she allegedly waved a gun at them and her neighbors, before pointing the gun at officers, according to a spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.

TACOMA, Wash. - Tacoma’s first shooting involving an officer in 2024 ended in the death of a 61-year-old woman. The Tacoma Police Department was called to 43rd and Bell Street on Tuesday morning for reports that the woman was intimidating her neighbor with a weapon.

The Pierce County Force Investigation Team (PCFIT) is handling the case, with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) as the lead agency.

Sgt. Darren Moss, a public information officer, said the woman lived in a duplex on the corner of the Tacoma neighborhood. He explained police responded at 7:21 a.m. to where the suspect’s next-door neighbor claimed she was pointing a gun at them.

"When Tacoma responded out here, they immediately surrounded the area and were trying to make contact with the woman through loudspeaker as well as trying to call her on the phone. She at some point came out and waved a firearm at Tacoma officers and pointed it at them as well. And after that, they decided to call for their SWAT Team to come to the scene to take over," said Moss.

Marrie Whiting Seifi was in Tacoma posting a live video on TikTok, as she normally does, showing her followers from other countries a typical day in the U.S. Whiting Seifi said she noticed a SWAT armored truck race past her car.

"And the people watching my live were kind of like, 'well, this is interesting let's see what's going on here,'" said Whiting Seifi.

The TikToker said she followed the SWAT Team, leading her to the scene at 43rd and Bell Street. Parking a safe distance from the scene, Whiting Seifi continued her livestream on the social media app. She explained she could hear officers talking to the suspect over a loudspeaker.

"In this situation, as I was listening, I heard the tone change in the officers' voice, and it sounded like they were begging them to drop the gun," said Whiting Seifi.

Moss said a short time after SWAT arrived at the duplex, the team announced shots were fired. The gunfire was heard live on Whiting Seifi’s stream. She shared the video exclusively with FOX 13 where shots are heard underneath Whiting Seifi’s reaction to the gunfire.

"I thought I heard, ‘Drop the gun! Drop the gun!’ Like panicky more sounding. And then I heard three gunshots," said Whiting Seifi. "I thought wow, this is a really powerful moment. But it’s also a really sad moment and honestly, I started praying."

Moss said SWAT called for priority medical aid for the suspected woman seconds after she was shot outside the duplex. She died on the front porch.

"Something really terrible has happened no matter how you look at it. And even the police officers, I just felt an empathy for them that I hadn’t felt before because hearing their voice and hearing their shots, you know they didn’t want that to happen," said Whiting Seifi.

The Pierce County Force Investigation Team collected evidence and took pictures to help detectives determine what happened at the scene.

"We’ll have a drone come out and scan the whole property as well as a hand-held scanner that will take photos and document everything that is on the scene," said Moss. "Interview the officers, take photos of them, do round counts as well as any witnessing officers. Again, talking to the witnesses and the family members of the woman who is deceased."

The investigation team will also review body camera videos from the officers involved. At this time, the investigation team cannot reveal how many officers shot their guns at the scene. Moss confirmed the officers involved were placed on administrative leave.

Whiting Seifi said too many families lately had been affected by gun violence. She said she believes gun violence is the symptom of bigger issues, like mental illness, and would like to see more resources and awareness to address the source.

"I don’t believe that it’s actual guns, but I think that the mental health crisis in our society is causing us to have problems that you don’t see other places in the world," said Whiting Seifi. "Any time that somebody goes through something like that, and it has such an affect, I just wish that we would think a little bit more about what is causing this to happen so that we could stop it from happening and prevent these things from happening."

News Crime and Public Safety Tacoma