South Sound News

Video allegedly shows Pierce County deputy stabbing a man in attack that led to assault charge

KIRO 7 obtained cell phone video showing the moment a Pierce County Sheriff's Department sergeant allegedly attacked and stabbed a man.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Robert Glen Carpenter was arrested and charged with first-degree assault in connection with the October, off-duty alleged stabbing in Tacoma that followed a confrontation captured on a pot shop’s surveillance camera.

KIRO 7 also obtained surveillance video of the parking lot confrontation that investigators said led to the stabbing.

Carpenter met the alleged victim and another man at a bar in Tacoma, according to court documents, and the three men then agreed to go to a pot shop on Pacific Avenue before getting a hotel room.

Surveillance video inside the store shows a man investigators say is Carpenter allegedly buying edibles.

After, in the store’s parking lot, the victim said "he wanted smoking marijuana because edibles don't get him high," according to court documents.

That's when prosecutors say "Carpenter then lifted up his shirt exposing his handgun" and the victim, scared, told police he felt that it was a "fight or flight time.”

The charges say that man "was able to get the gun away from Carpenter" and ran toward the other man's car. But, "Carpenter made it to the open passenger's window" and then "produced a knife and began slashing and stabbing" while "demanding his gun back."

Surveillance video shows Carpenter’s legs hanging out of the car’s window as the car moves out of camera view. Police responded to the stabbing a short time later.

Sheriff Paul Pastor previously announced the department would be terminating sergeant Carpenter. The sheriff’s department didn’t immediately return KIRO 7’s request about the status of Carpenter’s employment.

KIRO 7 could not immediately reach the lawyer listed as Carpenter’s defense attorney in court documents.