A man is dead, and a woman was wounded after a shooter opened fire at them Wednesday night in a hospital emergency room in Tacoma, Washington, KIRO-TV reported.
Tacoma police said the apparent targeted attack took place just after 7 p.m. inside the emergency room of MultiCare Allenmore Hospital on South Union Avenue, the station said.
'I know that she's pretty shaken up because her boyfriend, I guess, like, pushed her out of the way, so she just watched him get shot pretty bad, you know.'
The female victim — a 21-year-old — was grazed by gunfire and is recovering, but her boyfriend was killed in the shooting, KIRO reported.
Medical workers attempted lifesaving efforts before the man was pronounced dead, the Seattle Times reported.
Police said the couple got into a fight with the suspect outside the hospital prior to the shooting, the station said, after which the suspect followed them into the ER and opened fire.
It's not clear if the fight prior to the shooting was verbal, physical, or both.
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"I know that she's pretty shaken up because her boyfriend, I guess, like, pushed her out of the way, so she just watched him get shot pretty bad, you know," the female victim's uncle told KIRO in an exclusive interview. "I'm more worried about her mental and emotional state right now, more than anything."
In a statement released Wednesday night, a MultiCare Allenmore official told the station the hospital was on restricted access due to the shooting; by Thursday morning, the hospital was operating normally.
"The emergency department is open for walk-ins, but the waiting room remains closed due to a police investigation," the statement reads, according to KIRO. "Ambulances are still being diverted."
No hospital workers were hurt in the shooting, police told the Times.
Detectives and crime scene technicians were actively investigating the shooting as a homicide, police told the station, adding that no arrests have been made as of early Thursday morning.
Police on Thursday didn't immediately reply to Blaze News' questions regarding the shooter's physical description, if the couple knew the shooter, what sparked the altercation before the shooting, or what kind of gun the shooter used.
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Bob Ferguson, the Democratic governor of Washington state and a self-identifying Catholic, ratified a bill in May that would have compelled Catholic priests to break the seal of confession or face up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.
As it would invite the government into the confessional and put priests at risk of automatic excommunication, Catholic bishops in the Evergreen State vowed to defy the law, reassured Catholics in their dioceses that the seal of the confession would remain unbroken, and filed suit on May 18, asking a federal court to block Senate Bill 5375.
The Trump Department of Justice joined the fight last month, intervening in the bishops' case against the State of Washington and emphasizing that SB 5375 "deprives Catholic priests of their fundamental right to freely exercise their religious beliefs, as guaranteed under the First Amendment."
'Here, clergy were explicitly singled out.'
A Biden judge broke from custom on Friday, issuing an injunction that hurt rather than aided the Democratic cause.
U.S. District Judge David Estudillo temporarily blocked the law, noting that "there is no question that SB 5375 burdens Plaintiffs' free exercise of religion" by placing clergymen "in the position of either complying with the requirements of their faith or violating the law."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church maintains that "every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him" and "can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives."
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The Code of Canon Law cited in the bishops' complaint similarly underscores the inviolability of the sacramental seal, noting further that a "confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae — automatic — excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See."
In the amicus brief it filed last week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops noted that by driving priests into Washington jails or out of the church, Democrats' law "would also be catastrophic for parishioners, who will be left with fewer clergy to administer the Sacrament of Confession to them."
Estudillo appeared to agree with the argument raised by both the bishops and the Justice Department that the law is not neutral and generally applicable.
SB 5375 will require any person operating in an official supervisory capacity with a nonprofit or a for-profit organization who has "reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect" to notify law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
However, as acknowledged in the final bill report, the Democratic law mandates no one except for members of the clergy to report abuse when that information is obtained solely as a result of a privileged communication.
"SB 5375 modifies existing law solely to make members of the clergy mandatory reporters with respect to child abuse or neglect," wrote Estudillo. "However, other groups of adults who may learn about child abuse are not required to report. Parents and caregivers, for example, are not mandatory reporters."
The judge noted that another piece of legislation set to go into effect with SB 5375 on July 27 will also exempt university attorneys from divulging child abuse information if it has something to do with their clients.
"A law is not neutral if the government 'proceeds in a manner intolerant of religious beliefs or restricts practices because of their religious nature,'" Estudillo noted. "Here, clergy were explicitly singled out."
The judge indicated there were likely less restrictive and more effective means of helping protect children and highlighted Catholic Church efforts already underway that go further in the protection of children than required by state law.
As a result of the Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v. CASA Inc., which severely restricted the reach of judicial injunctions, Estudillo indicated he had to limit relief to the individual plaintiffs in the case. There was, however, a catch.
'In a nation where anti-Catholic bigotry is on the rise, this ruling is a hopeful reminder.'
Estudillo noted that the bishops — Archbishop Paul Etienne of the Archdiocese of Seattle, Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, and Bishop Thomas Daly of the Diocese of Spokane — have a responsibility for the administration of the sacraments and the discipline of the priests across their dioceses, and that absent an injunction that applies across all three dioceses, "they — as individuals — cannot fulfill their religious responsibility by ensuring that the priests within their dioceses maintain the sacramental seal."
Accordingly, the judge determined that complete relief in this case must apply to all Catholic priests who fall under the administration of Etienne, Daly, and Tyson. As those bishops run the only three dioceses in the state, Estudillo's injunction effectively protects all priests in the state while the lawsuit proceeds.
Kelsey Reinhardt, president of CatholicVote, called the ruling a "major victory for religious freedom" in a statement obtained by Blaze News.
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"The Seal of Confession is not only a vital tenet of the Catholic faith, it is a safeguard for the penitent — who must be free to seek God’s forgiveness without fear of exposure," continued Reinhardt. "In a nation where anti-Catholic bigotry is on the rise, this ruling is a hopeful reminder: no American should face criminal penalties for living out their faith. We are grateful for today's ruling and hope that the final outcome of the case similarly reflects our nation's commitment to the First Amendment of all Americans — especially Catholics."
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represented the lead plaintiffs with the First Liberty Institute and WilmerHale, similarly celebrated the ruling.
"This ruling confirms what has always been true: In America, government officials have no business prying into the confessional," said Becket CEO Mark Rienzi. "By protecting the seal of confession, the court has also safeguarded the basic principle that people of all faiths should be free to practice their beliefs without government interference."
"For centuries, Catholic faithful around the world have sought reconciliation with God through the sacrament of confession," said Jean Hill, executive director of the Washington State Catholic Conference. "This ruling protects that sacred space and ensures that Washingtonians of all religious stripes can live out their beliefs in peace."
The Trump DOJ has separately requested a preliminary injunction, which will be taken up this week.
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On June 23, Americans mark the 53rd anniversary of Title IX being signed into law. This landmark legislation gave women the opportunity to fairly compete in athletics. Unfortunately, thanks to the extreme left’s ridiculous desire to force women to compete against men, Title IX is under threat.
As the highest-ranking woman in Congress, I am proud to introduce a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to commemorate Title IX's enactment and celebrate women's and girls' contributions to education and athletics. It’s time all members of Congress go on the record supporting Title IX and women in sports.
Our daughters can depend on Republicans to protect women. We are fighting to end the insanity created by extreme leftist Democrats.
The erosion of Title IX protections is harming young girls. For example, in my home state of Michigan, a transgender water polo player was allowed to compete in the national championship, leading to an unfair advantage and a sham outcome.
Recently, during track and field competitions in Washington and California, biological boys stole victories that should have gone to girls. These biological boys would likely never have seen the podium had they competed against men. Allowing this behavior, which I often describe as the ultimate form of bullying, is ironic given our nationwide efforts to eliminate it.
Instead of wrongfully celebrating these boys who are stealing victories from women, we should recognize and celebrate rightful champions Lauren Matthew, Jillene Wetteland, Lelani Laurelle, and Kira Gant Hatcher. They put in the work and were forced to compete unfairly against biological males, only to have their hard-fought victories snatched away.
The parents, teachers, classmates, and administrators who allowed this to happen and are responsible for this miscarriage of justice should be ashamed. Instead of cheering on women and Title IX, they cheer for the destruction of women’s sports.
As a woman, a mother, an athlete, and a coach of young girls, I am appalled. The fact that anyone would rather allow biological men to compete in women’s sports than protect our girls is reprehensible. Where are the feminists who have dedicated their lives to protecting women and women's empowerment? No matter how hard Democrats try to deny it, biological men have an inherent advantage over women in sports.
President Trump and House Republicans have taken action to prevent these nightmares from happening in the future. House Republicans passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, and President Trump signed an executive order to protect girls and keep men out of women’s sports. Just this month, Education Secretary Linda McMahon recognized June as Title IX Month.
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These actions resulted in the NCAA announcing a new policy protecting women athletes from men competing in women's sports. Despite multiple states having followed suit, not all girls are protected.
This led President Trump to threaten to cut federal funding to California if the state continues allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. In my opinion, he absolutely should. The president has already begun the process of stripping Maine of federal funds for a similar act of defiance. If states value this extreme, woke ideology more than federal funding for their students’ education, they should lose it.
Fifty years following the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Title IX gave women equal footing in the world of athletics, and now Democrats are trying to set all our young women back. Our girls deserve better.
Our daughters can depend on Republicans to protect women. We are fighting to end the insanity created by extreme leftist Democrats. And we won’t stop until every girl and woman has the right to fairly compete in sports.
If that means defunding every state, defeating every extreme left-wing Democrat governor, and demoralizing every biological male who steps foot on a women’s athletic field, we will.
We fought for more than 50 years for this right. I won’t let it end under my watch.
A transgender athlete ignored biological reality and mocked his hecklers after his second straight win at a state championship in girls' track and field.
Veronica Garcia, a boy, won the Class 2A 400-meter dash at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Saturday, beating out female competitors as cheers and jeers rained down.
'I know I'm gonna push myself to keep going, but I don't want a man pushing me to have to go.'
As Blaze News previously reported, Garcia — a 17-year-old senior from East Valley High School — used to go by the names Davina Brown and Donovan Brown.
Garcia received a fair amount of taunting in 2024, but the backlash against the male's participation in female athletics has been much more prominent this year.
While heckling and protesting from other participants were apparent, it was the runner's response to critics that has been making headlines.
According to the Spokesman-Review, two men stared at Garcia as he took his mark for the race and then yelled, "May the best girl win," in his direction.
Garcia addressed the remarks after his victory, the paper said: "I'm just gonna say it's a ... shame they don't have anything else better to do."
The runner added, "I hope they get a life, but oh well, it just shows who they are as people," according to Spokesman-Review.
As Garcia took the podium and was announced as the state champion, two competitors were noticeably absent: Lauren Matthew, who placed second, along with her teammate Quincy Andrews, who placed fifth, the paper said.
The girls, both from West Valley High School, refused to stand on the podium — and spoke out against Garcia afterward: "I shouldn't have to push myself to the point of where I'm about to, like, die in order to win," Matthew told the Spokesman-Review. "I know I'm gonna push myself to keep going, but I don't want a man pushing me to have to go."
Andrews talked up her teammate and called her the "best woman" who should be the rightful state champion, the paper said: "She should have won state last year, and that’s taken away from her, which isn’t fair."
Former NCAA athlete and women's sports activist Riley Gaines shared a photo of Matthew on her X page and declared her the "real state champ."
Garcia gave Matthew props, saying she forced him to perform better, the Spokesman-Review said: "I honestly couldn't do this without competition; Miss Matthew, I think she really pushed me."
A handful of protesters outside the venue held signs that read "Save women's sports!" the paper said — a sentiment that has exploded in recent months.
One of the voices responsible for the rise in women refusing to participate against transgender athletes is the CEO of XX-XY Athletics, former gymnast Jennifer Sey.
Sey told Blaze News that the conversation around whether males have an advantage over females in sports should be over.
"Activists continue calling for more research to better understand if men are stronger and faster than women," Sey told Blaze News. "We don't need more research. We don't need more categories to compete in. We just need to test for sex. And athletes just need to compete in the category to which they were born."
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Pro-life Christians held a prayer event at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Washington, over the weekend.
But the viewpoints expressed at the Mayday USA event — in support of the "sanctity of human life, the sacrality of biological gender, the importance of the nuclear family, and the right to freedom of speech and religion" — proved intolerable not only to the leftist radicals whose violent response prompted police to shut down the event early but also to the city's Democratic mayor who subsequently smeared the Christian organizers as bigots.
'Today's far-right rally was held here for this very reason — to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city's values, in the heart of Seattle's most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhood.'
The purpose of the Mayday USA tour — which is linked to the "#DontMessWithOurKids movement" — is to "offer prayer and resources to help post-abortive men and women, trafficking victims, those who desire freedom from same-sex attraction, and those who are struggling with sexual and drug addictions throughout their restoration process."
Ahead of Saturday's main event — which featured speeches, musical performances, and prayer — there were free haircuts for kids and bicycle giveaways. Roughly 500 people attended the prayer rally, reported the Seattle Times.
However, hundreds of leftists — including members of the groups Radical Women, Puget Sound Mobilization for Reproductive Justice, Freedom Socialist Party, Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity — also showed up. But they weren't there to pray.
The leftists — later thanked by Democratic Mayor Bruce Harrell — circulated a post claiming event organizers were pushing "fascist 'family values,'" were waging a "war on trans & queer folk," and were somehow linked to a "racist Christian identity movement," as well as to President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Project 2025.
While the leftists' stated goal was to send the message that "bigotry is not welcome here," it appears their aim actually was to shut down Mayday USA.
Seattle Police swooped into action, making numerous arrests after leftists protesting the Christian prayer event turned to violence.
According to the Seattle Police Department, officers initially intervened after witnesses observed "multiple people inside one group throw items at the opposing group" around 1:30 p.m.
'Seattle is proud of our reputation as a welcoming, inclusive city for LGBTQ+ communities.'
What's more, while officers were taking violent individuals into custody, additional radicals physically attacked police. One officer injured during the ensuing scuffle was taken to hospital for treatment.
Just before 5 p.m. local time, the SPD announced on X that it requested backup from the Washington State Patrol.
Police said they charged 22 individuals with assault and obstruction and took them to King County Jail. A juvenile also was arrested for obstruction but later was cut loose.
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While leftists appeared to have initiated the violence, the Democrat mayor — who admitted to "displaying" a gun amid a 1996 dispute with a pregnant woman over a parking spot — reserved his fury for the peaceful Christians whom law enforcement protected.
"Seattle is proud of our reputation as a welcoming, inclusive city for LGBTQ+ communities, and we stand with our trans neighbors when they face bigotry and injustice," Harrell said in a statement Saturday. "Today's far-right rally was held here for this very reason — to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city's values, in the heart of Seattle's most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhood."
'We are just warming up.'
Harrell, who's presently campaigning for reelection, suggested further that the Christian organizers were questioning the "humanity of trans people and those who have been historically marginalized."
After suggesting that the leftist violence was the result of anarchist infiltrators, Harrell expressed gratitude for those who peacefully protested the event and indicated that he was directing Seattle Parks and Recreation to "review all of the circumstances of this application to understand whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been pursued."
"In the face of an extreme right-wing national effort to attack our trans and LGBTQ+ communities, Seattle will continue to stand unwavering in our embrace of diversity, love for our neighbors, and commitment to justice and fairness," added the mayor whose city has a 1-rating on the Neighborhood Scout crime index; a 100-rating is the safest.
Jenny Donnelly — host of the event and founder of the Christian prayer organization Her Voice Mvmt — blasted the mayor over his mischaracterizations.
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Donnelly noted that her team had: worked with the parks department for weeks; originally requested an alternate location but "were told no and given Cal Anderson Park"; cooperated with police and ended their event 2.5-hours early due to the leftist violence; and had not come to "attack" anyone but "stayed in [their] permitted area, worshipped, and did not engage any of the counter protestors."
The Seattle Police Officers Guild said it welcomes a mayoral review of the parks department's decision to authorize a permit for Cal Anderson Park — not because the Christian families were somehow undeserving but because "this park is commonly known as the heart of ANTIFA land."
"We have no doubt that this city decision, as naïve or deliberate as it was, put police officers in an untenable predicament," the guild said in a statement.
"A riot started in Cal Anderson Park in Seattle formerly known as the CHOP zone. Why?" wrote evangelist Ross Johnston, a co-host of the event. "The church showed up outside to worship Jesus and preach the gospel! Let me make it clear, we are just warming up and WE AIN'T BACKING DOWN."
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