A person died after falling through glass from an upper floor near the Emerald Queen Casino Saturday night, according to the Tacoma Fire Department.
The fire department said a second person was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.
The Tacoma Fire Department said at 9:19 p.m. Saturday, the person who died “fell through the glass on an upper floor near the escalators at the 2900 block of East R Street.”
The area is on tribal land, so the Puyallup Tribal Police Department is investigating what led to the fall.
The late-evening timing at 9:19 p.m. places the incident during peak casino hours when the facility would have been crowded with guests. The presence of witnesses likely contributed to the rapid emergency response.
The upper floor location near escalators suggests the fall occurred in a high-traffic area of the casino where many patrons would have been present. Escalator areas in casinos typically connect gaming floors or other public spaces.
The fact that glass broke during the fall indicates the person either struck a window, railing with glass panels, or another glass barrier with enough force to shatter it. Modern building codes require tempered or laminated safety glass in areas where people could fall against barriers, but the force of a human body can still break through such materials.
The second person suffering minor injuries raises questions about the circumstances. This individual could have been injured by falling glass, could have been involved in whatever incident preceded the fall, or could have been struck by the falling person.
The Puyallup Tribal Police Department’s jurisdiction stems from the casino being located on the Puyallup Tribe’s reservation land. Tribal police handle criminal investigations on reservation property, though they may coordinate with other agencies depending on the nature of incidents.
The investigation will examine whether the fall was accidental, involved foul play, or was intentional. Security camera footage from the casino will likely play a crucial role in determining what happened in the moments before the person fell.
The 2900 block of East R Street address places the incident at the Emerald Queen Casino’s main Tacoma location, a large facility that opened in 2020 featuring gaming, dining, entertainment venues, and a hotel.
Casino incidents receive particular scrutiny because these facilities are responsible for maintaining safe environments for large numbers of guests who may be consuming alcohol or otherwise distracted while gambling.
