Community Police & Fire

Gig Harbor Police Blotter: Man brandishes gun during dispute outside school

Editor’s note: The Blotter is written based on information provided by Gig Harbor Police and Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One.

A parking dispute near Harbor Ridge Middle School on the afternoon of Dec. 12 turned scary when one of the people involved produced a handgun, causing teachers to steer kids away from the area and administrators to send an email to parents.

The dispute started when vehicles lined up to pick up kids from school around 3 p.m. One of the parents, a 42-year-old dad in a pickup, was waiting in a location that blocked a local resident’s parking spot.

The resident, a 72-year-old man, confronted the dad. The younger man responded that he couldn’t move because he was parked in, with other parents directly in front of and behind him. He also pointed out that he was well within his rights to wait on a public street.

The 70-year-old yelled “I’ll remember you,” and appeared to start walking away. Instead, he went to the rolled-down passenger-side window of the truck, leaned in the cab and continued yelling at the dad. Video footage obtained later by police showed the 70-year-old “lunging into the passenger side of the truck,” according to the report.

The dad responded that the older man was “messing with the wrong guy.” He then got out of his truck, approached the other man and produced the handgun. He did not point it at the older man, but held it at his side.

The 42-year-old told police he did this because he was concerned his daughter could be in danger if she showed up amid this confrontation.

When officers interviewed the 70-year-old, he repeatedly asked them when it was OK for him to shoot someone. He also later called the police department to ask the same question.

Officers refused to give advice on that matter, other than saying it would only be acceptable when someone feels their life is in danger.

The report was forwarded to city prosecutors for consideration of possible charges of “provoking an assault” on the 70-year-old.

Burglar flees, leaving girlfriend behind

A suspect got away with various computer and electronics devices in a Dec. 5 commercial burglary, leaving his girlfriend behind in the process.

But police were able to identify the man as he fled in a stolen pickup.

A burglary alarm triggered at a business on Olympic Drive around 6 a.m. Dec. 5. The business’s video surveillance showed someone accessing the business by its back door.

Police arrived to find a white Ford pickup, with no license plates, parked near the back door. It had a damaged ignition, several boxes in its bed and a woman inside.

The 31-year-old woman said she was sleeping in the truck while her boyfriend “visited friends” in a commercial building at 6 a.m.

While officers interviewed the woman, a man came out of the building, got in the truck and drove away.

Police were able to identify the suspect. The truck turned out to be stolen in Auburn on Dec. 2.

Officers forwarded the report to prosecutors for consideration of possible burglary charges.