3rd Tacoma Homicide of 2021: Kieyree 'Kie' Spencer
On the evening of January 18, 2021, 22-year-old Kieyree Spencer, Kie, to his friends, sat in a Honda Accord with snother young man in the parking lot of the gas station on South 15th and Sprague. There was 35 grams of marijuana in the car that they intended to sell. Kie was in the driver’s seat. Four young men approached them. One of them opened fire, hitting both Kie and his passenger multiple times. The young men then ran away, got into a Chevy Malibu, and drove off. The man in the passenger seat managed to make it into the convenience store attached to the gas station and ask for help, but by the time first responders arrived, Kie was dead. Kieyree Spencer is the third Tacoma homicide of 2021.
The men responsible for Kie’s death were arrested and charged with his murder. They admit that they had no intention of paying for the marijuana. They were there to rob them, but after they opened fire they ran without anything to show for it.
Kai was a charismatic and fun loving guy. He enjoyed sports and especially loved the water. He was the sort of guy who had an infectious smile. And his life was just beginning.
It’s all too easy for some to ignore homicides that involve drug deals gone bad, but to do so ignores the humanity of our fellow citizens. Kai was 22 years old. And while we know the circumstances of his death, we will never know what he could have been. That has been stolen from us. And his friends and family have a grief that will never fully go away.
As always, the comments section is moderated and reserved for those who knew Kai and want to share thoughts of memories of him.
Jack Cameron