Man stabs four people to death in Washington state | Washington state

A man stabbed four people to death on the street of a town west of Tacoma, Washington, Tuesday morning after violating a no-contact order, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to local media.

All four stabbing victims, along with the 32-year-old suspect, are confirmed dead, the sheriff’s office said. Three of the victims died at the scene, while a fourth was taken to a hospital and later died from her injuries, authorities said.

Around 8:40 a.m., Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies received a call from a home for a violation of a no-contact order. They obtained a copy of the order, learned that it was invalid because it had not been served on the suspect, and went to the scene to give it to him.

As police headed to that location — a home on a cul-de-sac in a census-designated town called Wauna — several emergency calls reported a man stabbing people in the street at the same address.

Witnesses said at least one of the victims was stabbed in the middle of the street, in front of several onlookers. The first deputy arrived after about three minutes and shots were fired.

Chris Cardenas, who lives a short drive from the street where the stabbing occurred, said he was washing his truck in his driveway when he heard gunshots.

“All of a sudden I heard a series of gunshots,” he said. “You could really hear it echoing through the trees.”

Pierce County court records show a woman who lived at that address last May obtained a one-year protective order against her 32-year-old son. She wrote that he suffered from mental health and substance abuse issues, had pushed her in the past, and, more recently, had threatened her by telling her that “her grave had already been dug up.”

The son “threatened me, abused me both mentally and emotionally. He engaged in witchcraft/occult behavior and performed rituals in my home,” the woman wrote. “Damaging personal belongings. Hurting my cat…I am a disabled elderly woman and he is taking advantage of me and my health.”

Records show the son had notice of a hearing before the restraining order was issued, but did not appear for that hearing. The protection order required him not to possess dangerous weapons; staying 1,000 feet (305 meters) from his mother, her vehicle and her address, which they had shared; and comply with a previously prescribed mental health treatment plan, including medications.

Pierce County authorities are investigating the incident.

Wauna has a population of approximately 4,100 and is on the Key Peninsula.

Associated Press contributed to this report