A 28-year-old man accused in a weekend double shooting in an alley in Tacoma that critically wounded one man and killed another is being held in jail on $2 million bail.
Charging documents indicate the shooting stemmed from an argument over allegedly stolen property that escalated to a fist fight and then gunfire.
Pleas of not guilty were entered on Donovan Bailey O’Neal’s behalf during an arraignment hearing Wednesday in Pierce County Superior Court for charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm for the Sept. 21 shooting in South Tacoma.
Tacoma police responded Sunday afternoon after a 911 caller reported shots fired in an alley between South Warner Street and Puget Sound Avenue, a few blocks from South Tacoma Way. Arriving officers found two men shot in the chest, one of whom was pronounced dead at the scene. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet publicly identified him.
Three witnesses interviewed by detectives said O’Neal confronted the deceased man, identified in charging documents by initials D.C, about allegedly stealing a drug pipe before the shooting occurred. According to the probable cause document, the surviving victim reported that O’Neal punched D.C. “all over” before D.C. shot O’Neal, who returned fire and fled in a van with his girlfriend and her father.
O’Neal told detectives a different story. He was arrested Sunday night after he approached two police officers because he had gunshot wounds to his right arm and right side. After being discharged from a hospital, he was brought to police headquarters.
O’Neal initially denied firing gunshots. He described confronting D.C. about stealing his stuff, including his wallet and some money, and offering to “handle it like men” and “throw hands,” or fight according to the probable cause document. O’Neal reportedly told D.C. he was a “bitch” if he didn’t want to throw hands, and as O’Neal walked away D.C. shot him.
At one point, as detectives were leaving the interview room, O’Neal allegedly said, “I shot twice.” He later said he shot five times while the group he was with drove away, stating he was aiming at the ground.
A detective’s 2,000-word summary of the interview showed O’Neal made many claims as it went on, including that D.C. took a gun from his girlfriend’s father and shot him with it, that he saw someone else shoot D.C., that there were three or four people shooting and that in fact he didn’t shoot at all, he was just “testing” the detectives.
O’Neal’s girlfriend and her father reported they drove to the location where the shooting occurred to pick up some of O’Neal’s clothes from a friend, according to the probable cause document. Both described being inside their van when the shooting occurred, and as they started to drive away O’Neal climbed into the passenger door and allegedly fired over the door while they drove off.
When they returned to the father’s residence, relatives inside the house got O’Neal to leave, and he reportedly wandered off with a gun tucked in his waistband. Records state police searched the home after obtaining a warrant but did not find a weapon.
An investigation of the crime scene yielded nine shell casings and one live round, which led detectives to believe two firearms were involved, neither of which have been found, according to the probable cause document. The medical examiner also reportedly found two bullets in one of D.C.’s pockets.
O’Neal, who is listed in court records as homeless, has three prior felony convictions, including one for second-degree assault. Prosecutors wrote in charging papers that he was released from the Pierce County Jail in early September after serving time for taking a motor vehicle without permission.
Prosecutors recounted his criminal history, including 11 arrests, during his arraignment hearing while arguing that Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille should set bail at $2 million. Prosecutors said the incident was still being investigated. O’Neal’s defense attorney from the Department of Assigned Counsel opted to reserve any argument on a bail amount to a later hearing.