SPANAWAY, Wash. — Pierce County authorities are investigating after a woman was found dead with a gunshot wound following a collision in Spanaway early Wednesday morning.
The Pierce County Sheriff's Department said deputies responded to a two-vehicle crash at 4:38 a.m. at 17400 Spanaway Loop Road S.
The department said two cars struck each other head-on at low speeds. One of the drivers reportedly told deputies the other driver was unconscious.
The department said the deputies found the driver, a 47-year-old woman, with a gunshot wound and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
"We don't have any witnesses that saw the shooting occur, but we also don't have anyone saying there was definitely someone else in the car," said Sgt. Darren Moss, Pierce County Sheriff's Department public information officer. "We don't have anyone else saying that there was someone else with her, so it seems to be possibly a random shooting."
Detectives and forensic investigators arrived on scene to investigate. The SWAT team was also called to the scene to search the area for possible suspects or evidence.
Otis Jackson lives next to the wooded area where deputies said the shots originated and said his wife was shaken to hear them so close to home.
"She immediately woke up because our son is also up at that time, so she was already worried and she was able to distinguish that they were gunshots," Jackson said.
Another Spanaway resident, Samantha Slade, said police activity is common in the area. Jackson said his family was considering leaving the area as a result.
"Now it's been more serious talk; we're already looking into different places that we can move to, even out of state," Jackson said.
Authorities ask anyone with information on the incident to contact the sheriff's department.