Authorities say a Washington man walked into a hospital emergency room and shot two people, killing one, in an apparent random act of violence.
Martice Lawon Ryan, 25, is charged with first-degree murder and assault in the August 6 shooting at MultiCare Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma. A probable cause arrest affidavit states that police responded to a shooting in the emergency room around 7 p.m. When they arrived, they discovered hospital staff treating a man, J.W., and a woman, C.C. The man had several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead. The woman had a graze wound on her stomach.
Detectives spoke with the woman, who stated that she had no idea who the suspect was or why the shooting happened. She explained that J.W. was suffering from elbow pain, so they drove to the hospital. Nothing noteworthy occurred during the drive, but when they arrived in the parking lot and began walking toward the ER, a man in a red Mazda SUV drove slowly past them with his music turned up, according to the affidavit.
The alleged victims went inside, checked in, and proceeded to the waiting area. According to police, the woman noticed a man in a Mazda walking inside while they were checking in. After they sat down, the man approached them with one arm inside his hoodie. According to the female victim, the man, later identified as Ryan, asked the male victim if he was “staring at him,” police reported. The male victim claimed he wasn’t. Ryan then asked if they knew each other, to which J.W. said no.
That’s when the suspect allegedly said, “It’s about to get switchy in here,” referring to the device that converts a semi-automatic gun into an automatic. Ryan took out a gun with his right hand and fired several rounds at the couple before fleeing the ER and driving away, police said.
According to detectives, surveillance video identified the suspect vehicle as a 2014-16 Mazda CX-5 equipped with a license plate frame from a local dealership. Police contacted the dealership and obtained the names of those who had purchased that type of vehicle within the previous year. Ryan was one of those vehicle owners, and his driver’s license photo matched the man seen on surveillance video, according to the affidavit.
Ryan was arrested on Sunday and made his first court appearance on Monday, pleading not guilty. The victim’s father spoke at the hearing.
“This wasn’t just a homicide, your honor, this was an act of terror,” the father said, according to a Tacoma News Tribune courtroom report. “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 at the Pierce County Jail. His next court date is scheduled for September 11.
