Emerald Queen Casino Murder Suspect Arrested, Second Suspect Sought By Tacoma Cops

Posted on: February 10, 2023, 05:05h. 

Last updated on: February 10, 2023, 01:03h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Police this week arrested the alleged getaway driver in a 2020 fatal shooting at Tacoma, Wash.’s Emerald Queen Casino parking garage. The gunman remains at large, but police may be closing in on him.

Ty Jenkins
Ty Jenkins, pictured above. He was killed in a shooting at a Tacoma, Wash. casino parking garage. This week, one suspect was arrested. (Image: National Gun Violence Memorial)

The suspected driver, David Sekou Sebowa Ward, 29, was arrested Tuesday for first-degree murder in the Aug. 1, 2020, death of Ty Jenkins, 25.

During a Wednesday court appearance, Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Craig Adams set Ward’s bail at $1.5 million. He remained in custody at the Pierce County jail on Friday.

Ward has no known criminal convictions, and was not identified in court documents as a gang member, the News Tribune, a Tacoma newspaper, said.

Shooting Details

Two hours before the casino shooting, Jenkins and an unnamed second person walked into the casino. Later, the two left, and Jenkins went into the parking garage. The unnamed suspect then exited a nearby red Toyota Corolla and entered the garage. He snuck behind Jenkins and allegedly fired several shots at him. Jenkins died on the garage’s second floor.

The shooter then ran to the Toyota, and the car sped off shortly after midnight with Ward at the wheel, police said.

The alleged shooter, who police suspect is Ward’s half-brother, is being sought in connection with the case, according to The News Tribune. Local police told the newspaper this week they are working on his arrest.

Police have evidence pointing to the identity of the suspected shooter. He was wearing four large rings on his left hand at the time of the shooting, police said. The suspect was seen in social media pictures with similar rings.

Soon after the casino shooting, a man was pawning the four rings at a local shop, the report said. He, too, matched the description of the suspected shooter, police said. Police later seized the rings at the pawn shop as evidence in the case.

Gang-Related Violence

Police believe the casino shooting was related to gang activity and may have been in revenge for prior shootings. The suspected shooter was believed to be a member of a local Crips gang.

When police searched Jenkins, they found a 9 mm pistol and rifle in his car. Bullets from the pistol matched casings found at four prior shootings in Pierce County. They also matched those found at a murder in Federal Way, Wash.

Jenkins was believed to have been robbed in 2020 during a gun sale. His would-be shooter took part in the deal, police believe.

A revenge attack took place in July 2020, police said. In July, another man in the earlier gun transaction was shot nine times in Federal Way. Brice Armstrong, 17, was also shot. Neither of these two was believed to be involved in the casino shooting.

Shell casings at the July shooting matched those from Jenkins’ 9 mm pistol, police said.