Wyatt Owens: 'Selfless' Tacoma 16-year-old killed in drive-by shooting saves 8 lives by donating his organs
TACOMA, WASHINGTON: A 16-year-old who was shot and killed in Tacoma in January while driving a car has been identified as Wyatt Owens. Described as selfless, humorous, and diligent by friends and family, Wyatt has made his death count by donating his organs.
His friend Dallas Jolley said Wyatt was like a younger brother to him. “I’m never going to see him again. I mean, before this, I only had my grandparents die,” Jolley said. “I never thought this would be a conversation that I would have to have about anybody in my life.”
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'Wyatt had so much raw potential'
Wyatt was shot in the head on January 15 while driving close to North Pearl Street and North 43rd Street, according to Kiro7. Police said they responded to a complaint that a car had crashed into a yard in the 4300 block of North Pearl Street. The caller informed the police that they believed the driver had been shot. He was transferred to a nearby hospital with serious wounds. The teenager died from his wounds on January 20.
“We are definitely worse off without him,” Jolley said. “Wyatt was brilliant, he was incredibly talented, he had so much raw potential.” Jolley also revealed that although Wyatt's life was cut short too soon, he made sure to make an impact even in death. Wyatt helped eight different people by donating his organs. “When he got his license, he talked to his dad about being a donor and if he wanted to do anything, he wanted to make sure that he was able to give after he was gone,” Jolley said. Wyatt is survived by two sisters and his parents.
Shooter still at large
Wyatt may have been involved in a racing or road-rage incident with a dark, four-door vehicle with tinted windows, according to Tacoma Police. However, Michael Owens, his father, disagrees. "Drugs weren't involved, alcohol wasn't involved, street racing wasn't involved," Owens said. "He had a motto: ‘low and slow,'" he added. "He's like, ‘Man, I got a target on my back. All the cops want to give me a ticket, so I got to keep it low and slow,' so that's what he did."
Owens claims his son saved a 4-year-old boy from drowning at American Lake when he was only 11, as per Fox 13 Seattle. According to the father, Owens never failed to offer assistance to anyone who asked for it. "I'm going to miss that-- where he just puts his arm around somebody and goes, 'Hey, man, it's going to be okay, we'll figure it out,'" the grieving dad said.
Meanwhile, Tacoma police have not yet managed to apprehend the shooter. “Wyatt deserves justice, he deserves justice, the people who did this to him, they deserve to be punished,” Jolley said. The family has put up a GoFundMe page to assist with funeral and medical expenses. Anyone with information is urged by the police to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Victoria Woodards, the mayor of Tacoma, made the following statement in response to Owens' death on January 20: "The sorrow felt when a young life is cut short runs both deep and wide. My condolences go out to the victim’s family and loved ones, as well as the many others grieving across our entire community. This investigation is active and ongoing and, in the face of tragedy, we will not rest. This is a priority issue for us in Tacoma, and this is why we have made significant investments in community safety."