2nd Tacoma Homicide of 2021: Tracy Baker

Tracy Baker had gotten off work early on the evening of January 12, 2021. He worked as a security guard. Having the time, the 36-year-old went to Walmart to pick up things for his family. While he was there he encountered a 27-year-old man pretending to be a security guard who got angry when Tracy questioned whether he was legitimate. The man got in Tracy’s face and taunted him. Tracy tried to defuse the situation, at one point putting the man in a ‘bear hug’ to stop him. Then Tracy decided to leave the store, but the man followed him outside into the parking lot and punched him. Tracy responded and by the time the actual Walmart security guard had shown up and separated the two, the 27-year-old man had stabbed Tracy eight times with a pocketknife. Tracy leaned on the hood of his car and died on the scene before paramedics could arrive becoming the second Tacoma homicide of 2021.

I don’t need to wonder what sort of man Tracy was because his life showed it. He was a military veteran who made a career out of protecting people. In October of 2020 he made news when in the course of his job as a security guard, he interrupted and stopped a man who was sexually assaulting a woman outside an apartment complex in Seattle.  Tracy’s family tell how Tracy was always someone to put others before himself. It was literally his job.

Tracy’s family has put together a GoFundMe to pay for Tracy’s funeral expenses and other associated costs. You can donate here.

As always, the comments section is moderated and reserved for friends and family of Tracy Baker who want to share thoughts or memories of Tracy.

• Jack Cameron