Lakewood man charged with murder after firing more than a dozen shots at stranger
LAKEWOOD, Wash. - A man is charged with murder after authorities say he fired more than a dozen shots at a stranger in the Lakewood Towne Center parking lot. One witness told police he saw the suspect "emptying a clip into him."
According to Lakewood Police, officers were called to a parking lot between the Target and Panera in Lakewood. When officers arrived, they found one person who had been shot multiple times. That person, a man in his 30s, died.
The victim's identity has not yet been released.
According to court documents, the 23-year-old suspect, later identified as Sarome Jaquan Marquis Stabler, was standing 15 feet away from the victim when officers arrived at the scene.
At least four different witnesses told police that they saw the shooting happen.
One witness told officers he was in his car waiting to pick up his child when he saw the suspect shoot the victim. He told police he saw the suspect standing over the victim "emptying a clip into him."
Another witness told investigators he heard shots, looked up and saw the victim on the ground screaming. He said the suspect then walked up to the victim and fired nine rounds into the victim while he was already injured and lying on the ground.
(FOX 13 News)
Two of the witnesses told police that the suspect was yelling "why'd you do it?" as he fired shots at the victim.
Officers recovered 13-15 shell casings and bullet fragments at the scene. The gun was a black Glock 17 with a gray slide, police said.
Authorities said Stabler confessed to the shooting and said he had never met the victim before. Investigators asked Stabler if he shot the victim, and he said, "I did, my gun is legal, he walked up on me reaching and I got, I got scared."
Officers arrested Stabler and booked him into Pierce County Jail. He faces one count each of first-degree murder and second-degree murder.
Stabler appeared in court on March 10 where he pleaded not guilty. A judge set bail at $1 million.