On November 17, 2023, a prolonged standoff in a Bremerton, Washington neighborhood ended with the death of 47-year-old Denise Sonya P Pangelinan. Law enforcement, including multi-agency SWAT teams and FBI agents, had gone to her home on Forest Drive to serve an arrest warrant for her 49-year-old ex-boyfriend, Shaun Luzama, who was wanted in connection with a Pierce County homicide.

The standoff lasted about ten hours. Authorities say Luzama fired intermittently at officers beginning around 3:40 a.m.; the situation escalated shortly after 10 a.m. when SWAT teams engaged. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, both Luzama and Pangelinan were struck. Luzama died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds; Pangelinan suffered a single, fatal gunshot wound, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. An autopsy ruled her death a homicide.

It is not yet clear whether the fatal shot came from Luzama or from officers returning fire. Pangelinan’s son said his mother was unarmed and questioned whether law enforcement caused her death. The Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team and the Pierce County Force Investigation Team are investigating.

If anyone knew Denise Pangelinan or saw activity around Forest Drive that morning, information could be helpful to the investigation.