Tacoma police and firefighters are investigating a fire and assault that sent three people to hospitals with stab wounds early Wednesday. At 4:43 a.m., officers and Tacoma Fire Department crews were called to a home in the 4000 block of South 34th Street in the Oakland neighborhood. “I was sleeping, and I heard somebody say, ‘Help help help,’ and I got up, and the other dude was stabbing him,” resident Appiph Perkins said. “I tried to help him, he checked me, and stabbed me.”
Tacoma Fire Department’s preliminary report confirmed multiple small fires were intentionally set inside the house. Three people were transported to hospitals with stab wounds, and a fourth person was treated at the scene. One victim was severely burned in the fire. “He came out on fire,” Randy Green said. “Three of us got out, three got stabbed real bad, one might not make it.”
Residents say the home is a sober living facility and that the suspect was new to the group, having moved in just days ago. Multiple residents said they believe the suspect has severe mental health issues. The suspect was arrested and booked for investigation of three counts of first-degree assault and one count of first-degree arson. Firefighters had the flames under control within 10 minutes.
The attack at what residents describe as a sober living home demonstrates vulnerability when screening fails to identify dangerous individuals. The intentional setting of multiple fires while simultaneously stabbing residents suggests either calculated attempt to kill through multiple methods or chaotic mental health crisis. Whether the suspect received psychiatric treatment, whether medication noncompliance triggered the episode, and whether background checks are required for such homes affects prevention of similar incidents.
