TACOMA, WA – Today Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Michael E. McBee, 65, with attempted murder, assault, burglary and malicious mischief while unlawfully armed with a firearm. On March 26, 2013, the defendant fired multiple shots at his neighbors and their homes in a neighborhood near northeast Tacoma.
"The defendant terrorized a neighborhood," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "We will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law. We're lucky, and grateful, nobody was killed."
On March 26, 2013 at approximately 3:45 p.m., the defendant approached his neighbor's garage and yelled he was going to "kill you." He opened fire on the three neighbors inside the garage. He barely missed N.S. Then K.H. took cover behind a car, D.H. went inside the home, and N.S. stood face to face with the defendant. The defendant aimed his gun at N.S., who pleaded with him, "please don't." The defendant told him to run, and N.S. ran.
After N.S. fled, the defendant fired another shot, and K.H. exited through a side door. The defendant followed, firing at least two shots at him. He narrowly missed. The defendant then went to the back of the home, saw D.H. through a sliding glass door, pointed his gun at her, and fired a round through the door. He entered the home, demanded K.H.'s location, and left through the front door. The defendant fired several more rounds into the garage, then returned to his home.
At about 4:00 p.m., Pierce County Sheriff deputies arrived at the scene. The defendant refused to exit his home, so the SWAT team was called in. After a nearly five hour standoff, the defendant surrendered.
The neighbors reported the defendant has been involved in multiple neighborhood disputes, including a recent physical altercation with K.H. Investigators determined that K.H. and D.H.'s vehicle was shot three times, at least one bullet hole was located in the garage wall, and shots were fired through the sliding glass door. Several 9 millimeter shell casings were recovered.
The defendant was arraigned today and pled not guilty. Bail was set at $5 million. His next court appearance is set for April 12, 2013. Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information, please contact Emily Conlee at (253) 798-6265, [email protected] or Kelly Kelstrup at (253) 798-7792, [email protected].