Tenth Tacoma Homicide of 2014: Michael Ward Jr.

It was hot last Saturday night in Tacoma. Long after the sun went down, it was still 80 degrees on one of the last days of summer. Sometime around 4am, police arrived at South 39^th and Yakima Avenue responding to reports of gunfire and found the body of 32-year-old Michael Ward Jr. He’d been shot.

Police canvassed the area and roused an afterhours place run by a local motorcycle club. As of this writing, no suspects or witnesses have been located.

This is the third Tacoma homicide near an afterhours party since 2011. And the second homicide on the South Side of Tacoma in the last nine days. It’s also Tacoma’s tenth homicide this year.

Unfortunately there isn't much information about Michael that I could find. And this is why I have the comments section for this site. It is reserved for those who knew Michael and want to share memories of him.

Police are asking for anyone who saw anything or knows anything about this shooting to contact them at 253-798-4721.

My thoughts go out to his friends and family. I’m sorry for your loss.

- Jack Cameron

UPDATE: Michael's family is collecting funds for his funeral services. If you would like to donate, here's the link http://www.gofundme.com/e82k6w