TACOMA, Wash. — Following a string of shootings in Tacoma, one business owner said he's closing one of his restaurant locations until his workers feel safe returning.
“One day, when [staff are] comfortable coming back and we open up the place again, but until that comfort level is there, that security that they need to feel comfortable coming in, we’re going to keep the store closed,” said Lewis Rudd, the CEO of Ezell's Famous Chicken.
Rudd has been serving chicken to customers in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood since 2011 and says the violence seen in the city now is reminiscent of years past.
The most recent shooting on Wednesday took the life of a 14-year-old girl. It's one of three shootings at the intersection of MLK Way and South 19th Street in the past six weeks, Rudd said.
On Wednesday, police responded to calls of shots fired at 11:35 a.m. at that intersection.
Someone shot into a car with juveniles inside while it was parked at the corner, according to police. Police said the victims drove the car to the 1900 block of South Ainsworth and called for medical help but a 14-year-old girl was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting was Tacoma’s 25th homicide this year. In 2020 and 2021, the annual homicide rate was 32.
Rudd remembers living through this level of violence before.
“To keep the guests coming in and out comfortable, and feeling secure, we hired security, it was that bad,” Rudd recalls. “Then things got better. Now I see the trend going negative again.”
Rudd said his heart goes out to the family of the 14-year-old victim and hopes Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore will be able to combat the rising homicide rate. He also believes if the deeper issues aren’t addressed, the violence will continue.
“I think economics has to do with it, I think education has to do with it, I think lack of opportunities has to do with it, and I think it’s not something that just happened two years ago. This is the result of something that’s been happening for decades,” Rudd added.
So far, no arrests have been made. The Tacoma Police Department is calling on anyone with any information to get in touch with them as soon as possible at CRIMESTOPPERS at 1-800-222-TIPS.