Six shot, one critically at South Sound house homeowner says was a vacation rental

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A teenager is fighting for his life after what was advertised as a birthday party instead turned into a shootout.

A total of six people were shot in a house that the owner says was a vacation rental.

So far, no one is in custody. The shooting happened in the 11500 block of 152nd Street East on Puyallup’s South Hill.

A 17-year-old boy is in critical condition.

The remaining five people shot are expected to survive.

KIRO 7 spoke to the homeowner as well as the person who posted about the party on social media.

Both men talked by telephone. The owner said he had no idea the person renting the house was planning a party at his house.

The man promoting the party insisted there was plenty of security there, but that some people got in through the back door.

No matter, it soon turned into a violent night for a house full of partygoers.

“I mean we got the school that really is like, if you turn down there, it’s less than a half mile away, a little school at the end of the road,” said resident Cheyenne Newingham, “Little elementary school, too.”

Newingham has lived here for just three years. She says she is surprised someone would hold a big party there. Then we told her about a flyer, advertising it on social media.

Women were allowed in for $5, men, for $10.

“I did not know that,” Newingham said, her eyes widening. “I did not know that information. What that, what the heck. I don’t want to say bad words but that is disgusting.”

According to Pierce County Sheriff Department Sergeant Darren Moss Jr., 911 calls started coming in at about 1:39 a.m. Sunday morning, that shots were being fired inside the house.

They arrived to find two men, one 20, the other 21, shot. Then they got word that four other victims with gunshot wounds were showing up at local hospitals.

In the chaos, whoever was shooting managed to escape.

“Well over 100 people were reported to be there,” said Moss.

He says that proved to be a toxic mix.

“When you invite people and have it just blasted all over social media, you’re going to get a lot more people than you bargained for,” Moss said. “And in this situation, they actually had a shooting.”

The sergeant would not say whether they had recovered any weapons. They believe more than one person was shooting.

They want more videos because the shooters might be in some of them. So, they are asking anyone who was at the party to come forward to help catch the shooters.

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