Son Fatally Stabs Mother After Threat, Then Kills 3 Women Who Tried to Help, Police Say

A 32-year-old Washington man carried out a stabbing attack that left five people dead, including his 52-year-old mother and three women who tried to rescue her, before he was fatally shot by a responding deputy, authorities said on February 25.

According to the Pierce County Sheriff’ Office, deputies were dispatched to the 14000 block of 87th Avenue Court NW in Gig Harbor at about 8:41 a.m. on February 24 following a report of a possible order violation.

Officials said the suspect arrived at the victim’s home despite a no-contact order. However, deputies confirmed prior to arrival that the order was not yet legally valid because it had not been served. Deputies were later provided a copy of the order and were en route to serve it when the situation escalated.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., multiple witnesses called 911 reporting that a man was stabbing people outside the residence. A single deputy arrived shortly afterward, and gunshots were reported at 9:33 a.m.

Authorities confirmed four people were pronounced dead at the scene, including the 32-year-old suspect. A fifth victim was rushed to the hospital by Gig Harbor Fire and Rescue but later died from her injuries.

The suspect, Aleksandr Aleksandro Shablykina, was shot dead by a deputy. Authorities identified the victims as Aleksandro Shablykina’s mother Zoya Anatolyevna Shablykina and three other women who lived in the neighborhood: Joanne Kathleen Brandani, 59; Stephanie Killilea, 67; and Louise Sandra Talley, 81, according to a report by Law&Crime.

All of the victims reportedly died of “multiple sharp-force injuries”, officials said.

The Pierce County Force Investigation Team has taken over the case. Officials said investigators continue to process evidence and determine the sequence of events.

A neighbor, Bonita Curtis, told KOMO News she heard screaming during a confrontation involving a huge group of people.

“He went after her, knocked her down and just sat on her and started stabbing her,” Curtis said. “He had his gun drawn, and I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh my God, it’s pointing this direction,’” she said, adding that she then heard the gunshots. “Yesterday I was just scared. Today it hit me, and I’m really having a hard time with it. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Out of nowhere, I heard four or five gunshots, and I went to a window in my house and looked out. I saw an abandoned vehicle and an officer over somebody. I don’t know if they were alive or not,” another neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

The victim first obtained a protection order against her son in May of 2025. In the petition, she said her son “has been threatening me, abusing me both mentally and emotionally, doing witchcraft/occult behavior and doing rituals in my home”.

He allegedly threatened her and said that her “grave has been already dug up”, local NBC affiliate KING reported.

Zoya Anatolyevna Shablykina’s funeral will be held on March 6 at 11 a.m., four days before her birthday.

“Anna and Anastasia Shablykina, my daughter and her mother, are facing unimaginable heartbreak after losing their beloved Grandma/Mother and Uncle/Brother to a tragic incident rooted in mental health struggles,” a statement from a family member, Robert Knowles said on GoFundMe.

“This devastating event has left them not only grieving the loss of two cherished family members, but also coping with the trauma experienced by three neighbors who selflessly tried to help when they heard cries for help. The weight of these losses and the circumstances surrounding them have created an overwhelming amount of stress and uncertainty for Anna and Anastasia…”