Tacoma teen Josiah Tucker killed in parking garage ambush

Josiah Tucker, a 16-year-old resident of Tacoma, Washington, died after being struck by gunfire in a parking garage. Police describe the incident as a retaliatory ambush carried out by at least four individuals.

The shooting took place on October 28, 2026, following an incident the previous night in which one of the suspects was shot. Investigators determined the group targeted a gathering in the garage to retaliate for that earlier event. Josiah was present at the scene but was not part of the original dispute.

Ebony Tucker, Josiah's mother, stated that her son had no gang affiliation and was not involved in street conflicts. She said he had been at home playing video games with friends for most of the night before the shooting began. "My son was not gang affiliated. He did not run with a gang. He was not out in the streets like that," she said.

Tacoma police have arrested four people in connection with the death. The most recent arrest involved a 16-year-old suspect taken into custody by officers responding to the case.

Tucker is asking the community to help cover funeral and burial expenses. She has set up a GoFundMe page to assist the family with these costs. "The pain I feel I don’t want anyone else to feel," she said.

The family is currently arranging services for Josiah. The four arrested suspects are in police custody while the investigation continues.