On October 21, 2021, 19-year-old Emery Iese was sitting in the passenger seat of his mother’s car in an alley in Tacoma, Washington, when a man approached and opened fire with a 9mm pistol. His mother, 42-year-old Maria Nunez, tried to get out of the vehicle and was shot; Emery ran across the yard, tripped and fell, and as he lay on the ground with his hands up the gunman walked up and shot him at arm’s length. Three others who were nearby also died from multiple gunshot wounds, primarily to the head.

Emery had graduated from Chief Leschi School four months earlier and planned to attend college and become a teacher. Known as the family comedian who loved music and art, he had recently started working at Krispy Kreme and was training as a boxer. Investigators said there was no immediate motive: the victims had no known ties to gangs or drugs, and the attack did not appear to be a robbery. A suspect was arrested about a week after the killings and officers recovered a handgun believed to be the murder weapon.

The violent, seemingly random attack left Emery’s family and the community seeking answers. If anyone knew Emery, his movements that afternoon, or has information that could help, please come forward.