PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The suspect in the latest western Washington road rage shooting, that injured an 11-year-old boy, made his first appearance in court Wednesday.
Jadan Maurice Davis-Gunn, 19, faces three counts of assault in the first degree and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to charging documents, a Honda CRV attempted to merge onto northbound Interstate 5 from 56th Street in Tacoma on Nov. 25. Davis-Gunn attempted to prevent the Honda from merging with his Chevrolet Cruze, which resulted in a "brief road rage."
Davis-Gunn then moved into the left lane, and as the two vehicles were driving next to each other, fired several rounds into the Honda, which had two adults in the front seat and the 11-year-old victim in the backseat. The 11-year-old was struck.
The driver of the Honda was able to exit at 38th Street and McKinley and get to a nearby fire station.
The 11-year-old was transported to Mary Bridge Hospital where he underwent surgery to remove the bullet, which struck him in the right arm and abdomen.
Davis-Gunn was the registered owner of the Chevrolet Cruze from which the bullets were fired. The older brother of the victim, one of the people in the front seat, later identified him from a DOL photo as the shooter.
The vehicle was parked in front of a residence in Tacoma, which police eventually confirmed was a location where Davis-Gunn rented a room.
Davis-Gunn was arrested on Nov. 26 at that location, and a search of the residence and vehicle did not find a gun or any expended shell casings.
Due to prior felony convictions for assault and malicious mischief and malicious harassment, Davis-Gunn is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.
Davis-Gunn is being held on $750,000 bail.
Road rage incidents have been increasing in western Washington over the past few years. Law enforcement officials in multiple counties are seeing drivers become more aggressive.
“The problem here is we never know who this person is, what are they going through, what are they capable of doing,” said Washington State Patrol Trooper Robert Reyer.
Road rage incidents are on the rise in Pierce County, according to Pierce County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Darren Moss.
So far in 2022, there have been 279 road rage shootings, which surpassed the previous record of 241 road rage shootings in 2021.
In King County, there have been more road rage incidents involving guns over the past few years. According to WSP, King County road rage shootings have been increasing since at least 2017. Last year had the highest amount of road rage shootings with 235. So far in 2022, there have been 219.
A child sustained life-threatening injuries in a road rage shooting in Renton on Nov. 11 after he was hit in the face and chest. He was released from Harborview Medical Center after over a week in the hospital. The car the shooter was driving at the time of the shooting was recovered, but no suspect has been arrested.
A 24-year-old woman from Everett was killed in October driving back home from Leavenworth. No arrest has been made related to her death. The woman's family calls the lack of information "unsettling."
WSP released a list of tips to keep drivers safe from road rage incidents. The list includes:
- Be polite and courteous, even if other drivers are not
- Signal when changing lanes
- Avoid eye contact with the angry driver
- Call police, but don't pull your car over
- Control your own anger