Man convicted of killing 2, injuring others in 2019 Lake City shooting rampage sentenced

KING COUNTY, Wash. — Tad Michael Norman, the man convicted of killing two people and injuring two others in a shooting rampage in Lake City in 2019 was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday.

Norman was convicted on three counts of first-degree assault, second-degree murder and vehicular homicide.

Norman’s sentence comes more than three years after he opened fire on drivers in the Sand Point neighborhood of North Seattle.

Shortly after 4 p.m. on March 27, 2019, police said Norman approached a driver near Sand Point Way Northeast and Bartlett Avenue Northeast and fired a shot, critically injuring a woman.

After shooting her, police said he walked into the street and fired at a Metro bus while 12 passengers were on board. The bus driver, Eric Stark, was shot but no passengers were injured. A bullet got lodged in his chest.

Stark, later hailed a “hero,” turned the bus around and drove north away from Norman.

Police then said Norman approached a red Toyota Prius near Northeast 123rd Street and Sand Point Way Northeast, shooting and killing the driver.

Police initially contacted Norman at Northeast 123rd Street and Sand Point Way Northeast, but investigators said he sped away in the victim’s Prius.

Norman then collided with another car near Northeast 120th Street and Sand Point Way Northeast, which resulted in the driver’s death, investigators said.

That was when the police contacted Norman again and arrested him at 4:34 p.m.

Norman was taken to Harborview Medical Center with minor injuries and booked into the King County Jail the next day.

According to court records, Norman said he was a recovering alcoholic and described his alcohol abuse as “blackout drinking.”

He told police he had gone to Fred Meyer the day of the rampage and bought alcohol, including vodka, rum, and wine, and began drinking around 12:30 p.m., according to court records. He also told investigators he remembered playing video games but had no memory until he regained consciousness in the hospital.

During Friday’s sentencing, Norman apologized to his victims and their families, King County prosecutors said.

©2022 Cox Media Group