Police have arrested a 27-year-old man in connection with the shooting death of a Tacoma boxing legend.
According to the Tacoma Police Department (TPD), authorities conducted a nationwide search for the suspect across the Pacific Northwest, New Mexico and Arizona.
The man is accused of fatally shooting a 52-year-old former boxing professional turned coach at a Golden Gloves boxing event at the Oasis of Hope Center in Tacoma on February 17th. The coach, identified in court documents as EL, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to a nearby trauma center for “emergency treatment,” police reported.
Detectives determined that there had been an altercation between members of different boxing clubs before the shooting. The Tacoma News Tribune reported that the altercation began after the alleged gunman accused EL of stepping on his shoe inside the event. The altercation then escalated to the parking lot.
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The Tribune, citing court documents, reported that EL went to his car to retrieve a handgun. However, witnesses said EL never raised the gun, pointed it at anyone, or fired. An argument ensued and the other man, who also had a gun, began firing. Court documents say a crowd surrounded the coach, who was conscious and bleeding from his left leg.
The Tribune reported that the suspect told detectives he did not know the shooter and had never had any contact with him. He believed the gunman was trying to pick a fight with him because of his reputation as a former world boxing champion. The coach also told the officer that he stepped on the man’s shoe, and the officers got into an argument.
Koch said he walked to his car and saw a man with a handgun standing nearby.
According to the Tribune, court documents say EL feared for his life and removed the gun from his car, which remained in its holster. As he was getting out of the car, he heard gunshots and felt like he was hit by a bullet.
Documents say the coach believed the man was trying to kill him because he heard people nearby saying, “Don’t do that to Champion.” Witnesses confirmed to police that the man was the instigator and that EL “will not bow to anyone who challenges him because of his position.” Witnesses also said EL was well-respected in the community.
Police told the Tribune that the shooting suspect is a coach at a Seattle boxing gym. TPD said they are not releasing the suspect’s name at this time because he is involved in other ongoing violent crime investigations throughout Puget Sound.
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The man left the state after allegedly shooting and killing the coach.
On March 13, the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office indicted the man. Pierce County Superior Court subsequently issued an arrest warrant with national extradition.
The man had previous convictions for robbery, assault and illegal possession of a firearm, the Tribune reported.
With the help of law enforcement in New Mexico and Arizona, the man was tracked throughout the southwestern United States. The Tribune reported that the man was in New Mexico for a boxing tournament.
On April 19, the man was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force in Long Beach, Washington.
Officers recovered the man’s gun and booked him into the Pierce County Jail. He is charged with assault and illegal possession of a firearm.
Julia Dallas is the content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her story here. Follow Julia on her X, formerly known as her Twitter. here Email her here.
