Inset: Martice Ryan. Background: MultiCare Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma, Washington (KCPQ).
A man in Washington state entered a hospital emergency room and opened fire, hitting two people and killing one, in what authorities believe to be a random act of violence.
Martice Lawon Ryan, 25, has been charged with first-degree murder and assault due to the shooting on August 6 at MultiCare Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma. As detailed in a probable cause arrest affidavit, officers were called around 7 p.m. following reports of a shooting in the hospital’s ER. Upon arrival, they found medical staff attending to a man named J.W. and a woman identified as C.C. The man had been shot multiple times and succumbed to his injuries, while the woman received a grazing wound to her stomach.
The woman told detectives she was oblivious to who the perpetrator was or why the shooting happened. She recounted that J.W. was experiencing elbow pain, prompting their visit to the hospital. Their drive was uneventful, but as they reached the parking area and walked towards the emergency room, a man in a red Mazda SUV passed by slowly with loud music playing, as per the affidavit.
Once inside, the pair registered and went to wait. The woman observed the Mazda’s driver enter behind them while they were checking in, according to police. Sitting down, the man, identified as Ryan, approached them with his hand inside his hoodie. He questioned if the male victim had been “staring at him,” and the male victim stated he had not. Ryan further inquired if they were acquainted, which J.W. denied.
At this moment, the suspect reportedly said, “It’s about to get switchy in here,” seemingly alluding to a mechanism that can convert a semi-automatic firearm into an automatic one. Ryan then pulled out a gun with his right hand and fired several shots at the pair before fleeing the ER and driving off, police stated.
According to detectives, surveillance footage recognized the suspect vehicle as a 2014-16 Mazda CX-5 with a dealership license plate frame. Police reached out to the dealership and retrieved a list of those who bought such vehicles in the past year. Ryan was among the registered owners, and his driver’s license photo corresponded to the individual seen in the surveillance video, the affidavit noted.
Cops arrested Ryan on Sunday and he made his first appearance on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty. The victim’s father spoke during the hearing.
“This wasn’t just a homicide, your honor, this was an act of terror,” the father said, according to a courtroom report by the Tacoma News Tribune. “This was an act that took place in a hospital, again, where anyone in this community should feel safe.”
Ryan is being held without bond in the Pierce County Jail. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 11.
