Joseph Johnson,Joseph Smith Obituary, Death; – A Tacoma resident, Ontario Pruitt, aged 32, reportedly experienced a medical emergency and subsequently passed away while in custody at the Pierce County Jail. He was under suspicion for the fatal shootings of two individuals in 2023.
Pruitt died at the jail located in the 900 block of Tacoma Avenue South on May 16. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office stated that the cause and manner of his death are currently pending, a designation that indicates further information is needed for certification.
On that day, at 5:25 p.m., Pruitt experienced a medical emergency related to a pre-existing health condition and notified medical personnel for assistance, as reported by The News Tribune last week. Despite attempts at life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead at 6:23 p.m. The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation, according to a spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. Pruitt had been incarcerated for two years following charges of two counts of first-degree aggravated murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm stemming from a shooting incident on May 15, 2023.
Prosecutors allege that Pruitt fatally shot Joseph Johnson, 61, and Joseph Smith, 70, at the Wisteria Walk Apartments in Lakewood, reportedly motivated by distress over his uncle’s drug overdose death in Smith’s unit the previous day. Johnson was present as an acquaintance, as reported by The News Tribune. Investigators believe that Pruitt forced Smith to the ground upon opening the apartment door and shot Johnson, subsequently firing six rounds into Smith while he was down, according to the probable cause document.
Records indicate that Pruitt surrendered to Lakewood police and expressed remorse, stating he had overreacted. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was held in the Pierce County Jail on a bail amount of $5 million.
