PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — It has been a deadly and violent week across Pierce County.
Another shooting happened in Parkland around 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, leaving a 15-year-old boy dead and another man shot.
Pierce County has already seen double the number of homicides compared to all of 2021 and several of them remain unsolved.
This latest shooting is bringing back sad memories for a Pierce County mother.
Amy Martin knows all too well the pain of suddenly losing someone you love to gun violence.
Her 27-year-old son, Gage Halstead, was killed here back in January, just feet from the apartment where she was lying in bed with his young daughter. Halstead’s younger brother, a cousin and another friend, were also shot.
Now she wants help finding his killer.
“We had a candlelight vigil and our pastor from Western State and a lot of co-workers and family came and celebrated,” said Martin, standing near a memorial to her son.
She remembers clearly the night of Jan. 22, when her family’s life was changed forever.
“And I heard gunshots from the bedroom,” said Martin. “But I didn’t think it was my family in my parking lot until my son, Bailey, came in and said he had been shot.”
Her husband chased after the suspect — his dying son and injured nephew in his truck — until his vehicle gave out in Tacoma.
By then, Gage was dead and the suspect had gotten away.
Martin says the killer had no connection to her family.
“No, no,” she said. “My family, my kids, we work. They’re not out doing bad things.”
Some four miles away in Parkland, another family is grieving now. A 15-year-old boy was found dead inside the Heatherstone Apartments Saturday night. Eyewitnesses say an adult male was also shot.
“We’re asking for anyone with information about this to call the (Pierce County) Sheriff’s department and let us know,” said Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. “We’ll have more information about this when it becomes available.”
“Gage was, he had such a big heart,” said Martin. Her face lights up when she talks about her son.
They worked together at Western State Hospital.
“We have a work family together and a family,” she said. “And he was very well-loved.”
Now both families have lost a cherished member, his life cut short by someone they don’t know.
“We want justice for Gage,” she said.
©2022 Cox Media Group
