TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma police are investigating after two people were shot and a third was grazed by a car just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
The shooting took place along Pacific Avenue between South Eighth and South Ninth streets. Police said multiple shots were fired by multiple guns.
The three people who were injured have serious, but non-life threatening injuries, according to Tacoma police. Several cars parked along the street were also damaged by bullets.
All three victims either took themselves or were driven to the hospital.
Police arrested one person at the scene for a weapons violation because they illegally had a firearm. Police do not know if that person was the shooter in the incident.
Tacoma police believe there was a dispute inside a business that spilled onto the street, leading to the shooting. They believe some of the people injured may have not been involved in the dispute, and just got caught in the gunfire.
"We want people to resolve their issues in better ways and not resort to gun violence," said Detective William Muse with the Tacoma Police Department. "It doesn't benefit anybody, and there are no winners in those cases."
Some business owners on the block where the shooting happened said overnight crime is an issue in the area.
"It's become a pretty normal thing, mainly during the summertime it gets pretty bad," said Kevin Vandenbosch, co-owner of Rainier Athletic Club.
He added that he wants to see the City of Tacoma do more to help prevent crime and address public safety in the downtown area.
"I think for the city, if there was half the concern for this as there is towards giving people parking tickets, then we would have no problems," said Vandenbosch. "I see far more people out here checking the meters, checking for parking, than I do police officers."
Police said they are increasing patrols in the area and are asking the public to share any information they have about the crime.
"I think any shooting that we have is really important and concerning to all the people that we have in our community, whether they have a business down there or they live down there," said Detective Muse.
The investigation remains ongoing.