On the evening of September 17, 2022, 26-year-old Ronald Taufa'ase'e was sitting in his parked car in the WinCo Foods lot on Martin Way East near Lacey, Washington, when a man approached and fired more than 10 shots. Taufa'ase'e was found by his brother with multiple gunshot wounds; emergency responders arrived but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Thurston County Coroner ruled the death a homicide due to the gunshot wounds.

Deputies were first called about shots fired around 9:45 p.m. but could not locate a scene. After Taufa'ase'e’s brother called 911 about 10:15 p.m., police were alerted to a man seen walking nearby. A Lacey officer located and detained 23-year-old John Nguyen; a search of his backpack reportedly turned up a 9-millimeter pistol and ammunition. Nguyen was arrested that night on suspicion of first-degree murder; a court commissioner later found probable cause for second-degree murder and prosecutors charged him with both first- and second-degree murder. Witness statements and surveillance footage were used to link Nguyen to the shooting, and the court ordered him held without bail after emotional testimony from Taufa'ase'e’s sister.

What did anyone in the area see that evening that could help clarify events leading up to the shooting?