Washington’s Lucky Eagle Casino the Scene of Officer-Involved Shooting

Article by : Erik Gibbs Dec 13, 2023

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The individual fatally shot by the police during an incident at a casino on Sunday night was identified as Darren Evans, a murder suspect wanted in Pierce County. Records indicate that Evans, 33, had been notified of the bench warrant just days before the shooting at the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester.

A witness, visibly shaken, provided an account of the shooting inside the casino to various local news outlets and shared cell phone footage capturing the scene.

Witness Dee Thomas expressed the sentiment that attending a seemingly secure and public place doesn’t guarantee safety, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the world we currently live in.

Engaged in a round of slots, Thomas detected a disturbance, prompting his attention. To his astonishment, he witnessed law enforcement pursuing a man, subsequently discovering the individual was a murder suspect.

The unfolding events took an unexpected turn as the pursued man headed towards the front door exit, only to be met with gunfire from the officer, a moment that Thomas observed in the middle of the casino floor.

Despite the lack of an apparent direct threat from the man, the situation escalated dramatically. Incorporating visuals of the tumult, Thomas documented the unfolding chaos as law enforcement enclosed the injured suspect was identified as Evans by the coroner.

In the attached video, news sources obscured the suspect and additional witnesses for privacy. According to a news release on Monday, sheriff’s officials clarified that a Chehalis tribal officer, seeking to execute an arrest warrant, fired the shot that struck the suspect.

Documents from Pierce County’s court system provide a comprehensive account of Evans’ criminal history, citing him as the primary suspect in a 2022 murder case. Prosecutors allege that Evans shot an individual with whom he had a dispute over a car.

Considering the severity of Evans’ prior actions, Thomas emphasized the gravity of the threat faced by law enforcement in this situation. Prior convictions were justified by escape, burglary, ID theft, bail jumping, and various types of assault, as confirmed by local authorities.