Detective Brooke Bova
On May 28, 2021, a motorist that himself had experienced intermittent homelessness stopped at the traffic light to the I-5 onramp from E 28th St in Tacoma. He wanted to donate money to a homeless person he observed panhandling at the intersection. He felt compelled to give back to someone in need, since he had started to have a better life.
When the light turned from red to green, the victim had not immediately started to go. This caused the driver of a Kia behind him to honk their horn. The driver of the Kia then pulled up beside the victim and began yelling and making gestures at the victim. The victim yelled back, and it escalated to the driver of the Kia firing a gun at the victim, striking him in the leg. Two additional bullets were fired, one striking the vehicle just above the victim’s head.
WSP Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Detectives responded to the scene and worked the case for almost a year. Utilizing Washington’s Most Wanted, surveillance videos and photos were broadcast to the public. Multiple tipsters identified Rodney L. Hebert as the suspect.
Detectives discovered Hebert had a blue Kia Optima registered to him, but were unable to locate him at any of his listed addresses. Not being able to locate Hebert, charges were referred to Pierce County Prosecutors. An arrest warrant for Attempted Murder 1st degree, Assault 1st Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm 1st degree was issued for Hebert.
On May 5, 2022, an alert for Hebert’s arrest was disseminated among Washington state law enforcement. A collaborative team of WSP detectives and SWAT members organized a plan to locate and apprehend Hebert in the safest possible manner. The following day, Puget Sound Auto Theft Taskforce detectives surveilled Hebert and followed him to his place of employment in downtown Seattle. He was observed walking down the street after parking his vehicle. WSP SWAT apprehended Hebert with professionalism and without incident. A firearm was found on Hebert’s person, which was not brandished or used during the arrest.
WSP detectives across several divisions collaborated in apprehending a person with a long history of criminal convictions that is suspected of a very dangerous and violent crime.
