SOUTH HILL, Wash. — The Pierce County Force Investigative Team (PCFIT) is now looking into a deadly deputy-involved shooting that happened early Monday morning in the South Hill neighborhood.
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the area after a caller reported a suspicious vehicle, saying someone inside fired a shot outside their home.
When deputies arrived, they spotted a man sleeping in a vehicle and made contact with him.
Moments later, shots were fired.
The man who was shot was later identified by the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability as 32-year old L.J. Causey, a father of three.
Causey’s girlfriend posted a message on social media thanking people for their love and prayers, saying the family is taking this “one step at a time.”
Neither the medical examiner’s office, nor PCFIT, has officially identified the victim.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The question I want to have answered right now is did any police officer try to make an interaction with the person who was sleeping? Did you say to him: ‘Hey, show your hands, we need to talk to you?” said Elaine Simons, a coalition member.
Simons is the foster mother of Jesse Sarey – a 26-year old man shot in 2019 by an Auburn police officer who was later convicted of murder.
Sonia Joseph is also in the coalition. She’s the mother of Giovonn Joseph-McDade – a 20-year old unarmed man shot by a Kent police officer in 2017.
“There is a protocol of how to de-escalate, how to get information on what’s happening…Wake the man up and get the information you need before you take the action,” said Joseph.
The coalition members say they will keep an eye on what comes from the investigation, hoping for transparency.
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