Barber shot dead while cutting 8-year-old's hair in Washington

A barber was shot and killed at his shop in eastern Washington on Wednesday, authorities have confirmed. The barber, whose name has not been released, was giving a child a haircut at the time of the shooting, according to the Puyallup Police Department.

Announcing the incident in a Facebook post, police said the barber — identified as a 43-year-old resident of Tacoma and the owner of JQ Barber Shop, where he was killed — was approached by an unknown male suspect dressed in all black while the victim was cutting an 8-year-old's hair. After entering the shop, the suspect immediately walked over to the booth where the barber stood and shot the barber multiple times before fleeing the business on foot, witnesses told police. The suspect remained at large when police shared their latest update, and no arrests had been made.

Responding officers requested assistance from Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, who pronounced the barber dead when they arrived at the scene, Puyallup police said. The child was not harmed in the shooting.

Police said multiple witnesses were present when the barber was killed, and they are cooperating with the investigation. Still, very little is currently known about the gunman, despite what authorities described as "an extensive area search" for the suspect involving a police canine.

Officers with Investigative Services Unit at the Puyallup Police Department are leading the investigation into Wednesday's shooting. Police are asking anyone who works or lives in the area surrounding JQ Barber Shop, located about 10 miles east of Tacoma, to review footage from any surveillance cameras on their properties and check for people who match the suspect's description. Anyone who sees someone matching the description on video has been asked to report it to the Puyallup Police Department's tip line at 253-770-3343.

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