Three stabbed, house set on fire during assault in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — Three people were taken to the hospital early Tuesday morning after a suspect reportedly stabbed them and then set their residence on fire.

According to the Tacoma Fire Department, police officers and firefighters responded to the possible stabbing and house fire along South 34th Street at around 4:45 a.m.

According to the Tacoma Police Department, the suspect stabbed all three victims before setting fire to the residence.

Tacoma Fire Department’s preliminary report confirms that multiple small fires were intentionally set inside the home.

All three victims were able to get out of the home, but one of the three was burned in the fire, police say.

“It was pretty chaotic once officers got on scene, we had people self-evacuating from upper levels of the house,” said Officer Shelbie Boyd with the Tacoma Police Department.

Two of the victims were taken to the hospital in serious condition, and the third was taken to Harborview Medical Center in life-threatening condition.

As of this writing, police have not confirmed which victim was in life-threatening condition, or the ages or genders of any of the three.

Tacoma PD says the suspect was not on the scene, but he was found and arrested for assault and arson.

Because of the assault, firefighters had to stage out and wait for Tacoma police to secure the scene to ensure that crews were safe to attack the fire.

“The crews come here, and they’re ready to help people, they’re ready to fight a fire, and it’s frustrating to have to wait to make sure it’s safe to do so,” added Chelsea Shepard with the Tacoma Fire Department.

The fire was out by around 6:45 a.m.

Eight people live in the home and are now displaced due to the fire damage.

KIRO 7 spoke to Joshua Fix, who identified himself as the house manager. He said he believes the suspect, who he says also lives in the home, may have been experiencing a mental health crisis.

Fix said the three people who were hurt are also housemates.

“Two of them are close to me, being the house manager, I get to know everybody here on a personal level,” said Fix.

Fix lamented that the house is now unlivable.

“I got a full-time union job, I got my kids back in my life, I’m just really in a good spot until now, you know,” said Fix.

He says the suspect had only lived at the home for three days and had been homeless until then.

“We don’t know who you are, coming off the street, what kind of physical, mental, emotional problems you have,” he added.

Tacoma PD has taken over the arson investigation and continues to investigate the incident.

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