Man charged with fatal shooting in Tacoma claimed victim was trying to kidnap him

An Ohio man is accused of fatally shooting another man outside a Tacoma cargo warehouse Friday.

Prosecutors charged Darryl Fletcher Banks III, 23, with first-degree murder Monday. Banks claimed 26-year-old Demarcus McComb of Dayton, Ohio, was trying to kidnap him prior to the shooting, according to court documents.

A plea of not guilty was entered on Banks' behalf during his arraignment Monday. Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Philip Thornton set his bail at $1.5 million, court records show.

"This was nothing short of an execution," Pierce County deputy prosecuting attorney Dalton Smith said during the hearing.

Charging details

Tacoma officers were dispatched at about 11 a.m. to the 1500 block of East D Street for a shooting. While en route, a 911 call came in from Banks claiming he was responsible for the shooting. He stated that McComb tried to kidnap him, according to charging documents.

Banks told officers when they arrived that he did not have any weapons and they could pat him down, prosecutors wrote. He was arrested and allegedly confirmed that he was involved in the shooting.

McComb was found dead at the scene. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the right side of his head and some apparent wounds to his midsection, prosecutors wrote. Officers found a Glock handgun and shell casings nearby.

His cause of death was officially determined to be from multiple gunshot wounds. McComb's manner of death was listed as a homicide, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

Banks reiterated that he believed he was being kidnapped and that he allegedly used the victim's handgun to kill him. He also said that "none of this was planned." Prosecutors wrote that Banks gave a "somewhat rambling statement" when asked what led up to the shooting.

Banks claimed McComb owed him money. He said the victim sent him threatening texts, and Banks also claimed McComb was being aggressive towards him. Prosecutors noted that Banks did not say anything about McComb pointing a gun at him or assaulting him.

One of the people working in a guard booth at the warehouse said she saw McComb and Banks arriving in the area in a semi-truck. The victim drove them there, and they got out of the truck together, prosecutors wrote. At one point the witness spoke to Banks and said he needed to wear a reflective vest. In response, Banks "laughed her off."

The witness said McComb and Banks "were a little angry towards each other" when they first arrived but were not seen openly arguing, prosecutors wrote. Right before the shooting, she allegedly saw Banks approach McComb outside his truck and pull out a handgun. McComb raised his hands to block his face before he was shot.

It is not known if Banks has criminal history out of Ohio or any other state.