Barber killed while giving young boy a haircut, police say

PUYALLUP, Wash. (KIRO) - Police are searching for a suspect after a barber was shot and killed as he was giving a haircut to a child on Wednesday night.

When Puyallup police arrived at JQ’s Barbershop, they said they found the shop’s owner dead in one of the barber stations, shot several times as he gave a haircut to a little boy.

“Premininarily, it looks like the owner was the target of this attack,” police Capt. Ryan Portmann said.

The suspect was long gone by the time police arrived.

Meanwhile, they said the 8-year-old who witnessed the killing was understandably shaken but otherwise unhurt.

“That’s going to be on this little boy’s mind for probably the rest of his life, something they he saw that will traumatize this young child,” Allen Simons said.

Simons said he usually passes by JQ’s Barbershop every day. In the process, he said he’s gotten to recognize and know the man who was shot and killed.

“Always friendly guy, always greets the people when they’re walking the streets,” Simons said.

Police said the victim was 43.

As they search for clues in this case, they said they’re hoping for any information from the public.

“We’d ask that they look for video shortly before the incident. This happened about 5:09 that we got the call,” Portmann said.

This was Puyallup’s first slaying in more than a year.

People like Simons said they’re not only saddened by what happened here but absolutely stunned.

“It’s amazing how these things happen,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

Copyright 2022 KIRO via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.