On the evening of December 13, 2015, a domestic dispute at a home near Lacey, Washington, ended with the death of 30-year-old Feagaiga Tausaga Leiataua. Deputies from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office were called after a man was found with multiple stab wounds; that man identified his cousin, Feagaiga Nephi Leiataua, as the attacker. Leiataua had been living in the residence with his three-year-old daughter and retreated into a bedroom with her present.

Negotiations with law enforcement lasted about three hours before the SWAT team was called. A SWAT marksman fired one shot, fatally wounding Leiataua; he was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. The child was physically unharmed and released to her mother. Friends described Leiataua as a talented Polynesian tattoo artist who adored his daughter.

Anyone with information about the incident or who knew Leiataua is asked to share what they know.