The man police shot and killed Tuesday in an intersection near South Hill Mall was wanted for allegedly kidnapping a woman from Chuck E. Cheese and raping her on Nov. 18.
James Salanoa Jr., 22, was identified Thursday by the Pierce County Medical Examiner as the man killed Tuesday in the intersection of 31st Avenue Southwest and South Meridian. He died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Pierce County prosecutors filed multiple charges of first degree rape, kidnapping and robbery against Salanoa on Monday, the day before the shooting, along with a warrant for his arrest.
Charging documents say Salanoa raped the woman in her car after kidnapping her from the restaurant's parking lot just south of the Tacoma Mall on Tacoma Mall Blvd.
Tacoma Police spokesperson Det. William Muse previously told The News Tribune that the woman did not know Salanoa.
According to charging documents, the victim was at the restaurant with her four children for a birthday party. After returning to her vehicle to get a charging cord, Salanoa opened the car door and pointed a handgun at her.
After robbing her, Salanoa drove them around the area before parking and sexually assaulting her. Salanoa then demanded the victim withdraw money from her banking account but that proved unsuccessful.
Eventually, Salanoa drove the victim back to Chuck E. Cheese and he then fled in a stolen Cadillac Escalade.
Police were able to identify Salanoa as a suspect through evidence left at the scene, consulting with the victim and through photos taken by a resident in the area from where the Escalade was stolen.
On Tuesday, Pierce County Sheriff's deputies located Salanoa at the South Hill Park and Ride. He fled the scene in a vehicle with two other people. The chase quickly ended at the Meridian intersection when deputies deployed spike strips.
Salanoa emerged from his vehicle with a pistol. Deputies opened fire. Salanoa died at the scene.
No one else was injured.
