Memorial, Candlelight Vigil Staged for Army Specialist Killed in Lakewood Police Shooting

A small memorial rests on a patch of grass in a dense residential Lakewood neighborhood. Flowers, candles, “Miss You” cards and other remembrances sit next to a picture of a smiling 32-year-old Army veteran who had returned in May from a year deployed in Afghanistan.

About 25 people gathered there for a peaceful candlelight vigil Monday night, praying in remembrance of Spc. Trent Lloyd-Thorpe, who was shot and killed around 1 a.m. Sunday by Lakewood police officers.

Details are still unclear about the incident, which happened near Lloyd-Thorpe’s home in the 4800 block of Yew Lane Southwest after he apparently refused to comply with officers’ orders while armed with a semi-automatic pistol.

Before police arrived, Lloyd-Thorpe had somehow suffered a gunshot wound down the street from his home where a party was going on. A Tacoma News Tribune report indicated that a neighbor tried to assist Lloyd-Thorpe, who was trying to sit up and had a pool of blood behind him.

He was lying on a dimly lit street in front of James Farrow's home. The 25-year Lakewood homeowner told Patch on Monday that he awoke after hearing noise and his dog barking.

"All of a sudden I looked outside my living room and saw three police officers leaning against my car with M16s (semi-automatic rifles)," Farrow said. "I'm looking at it like, ‘Wow.’"

Lakewood police arrived immediately and discovered the wounded man lying in the street.

"I heard them say, ‘Suspect get down,’" Farrow said. "They didn’t just get out here and start shooting."

Farrow said less than 20 seconds after he saw police outside his home he heard at least 15 gunshots.

Yellow marks indicate where bullet holes penetrated parts of the neighborhood. Bullets scattered, hitting fences, mailboxes and gutters. Teenagers walking from home on Monday afternoon said they'd heard the gunshots in the neighborhood.

"The radio traffic was 'multiple shots fired,'" Lt. Dave Guttu told the News Tribune. “The next radio traffic came that officers had been involved in the shooting."

Farrow indicated that Lloyd-Thorpe had moved to the home where his fiancée and two children live. A woman who answered the door at the home Monday said she didn’t want to comment.

Lloyd-Thorpe, from Maple Falls in Whatcom County, graduated from high school in 1997. He entered the military in May 2008, according to information from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

He was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2010 and returned May 2011. He reported to Fort Lewis on Oct. 10, where he was assigned to 24th Quartermaster Co., part of the 593rd Sustainment Brigade, 80th Ordnance Battalion.

"The thoughts and prayers of the entire JBLM community are with the family, friends and loved ones of Spc. Thorp," said JBLM spokeswoman Catherine Caruso.

He received a number of decorations while serving, including the National Defense Service Medal in the Afghanistan Campaign; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; the Development Ribbon; the Army Service Ribbon; the Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO; and the drivers and mechanics badge (Driver, Wheeled Vehicles).

Four Lakewood police officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. Lakewood police did not return Patch's e-mail Monday requesting information about the incident. Check back later for an update.