By Pat Jenkins
The Dispatch
A Spanaway man is facing a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of a teenage boy.
The Pierce County prosecutor’s office last week charged Billy Gene Williamson, 22, with murder in the first degree and five counts of assault in the incident that occurred March 3 in Lakewood.
According to authorities, the shooting happened at about 7:30 p.m. when Williamson allegedly opened fire on a group of four minors and an adult. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head and died later at a hospital from the injury.
The victim wasn't armed, said Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist.
Witnesses told investigators that the shooting followed an argument over a girl earlier in the day. A witness of the shooting told police that Williamson was dating his former girlfriend and that he and Williamson posted comments back and forth on Facebook about fighting one another. The witness sent Williamson GPS coordinates for a location to meet and fight, authorities said.
At the location, witnesses reported a grey or silver car drove past them slowly and heard a male voice before shots were fired from the vehicle.
Investigators said Williamson later contacted them, turned himself in, and told them that he fired at the group of males after they shot at him. He reportedly told police he never intended to shoot anyone.
“This appears to be an argument over a girl,” said Lindquist. “The victim came to a fistfight and instead walked into a gunfight.”
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