Father in ICU after Lakewood mass shooting, family shares experience
May 30, 2025, 5:31 AM
A Tacoma father is in the ICU Thursday night after a Lakewood mass shooting at Harry Todd Park聽sent seven people to the hospital on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of 成人X站 7)
(Photo courtesy of 成人X站 7)
A Tacoma father is in the ICU Thursday night after a 聽sent seven people to the hospital on Wednesday.
According to a fundraiser started to help the family, 鈥淥n May 28, Ron Jackson was spending a beautiful, sunny day at Harry Todd Park in Lakewood, WA with his wife, Leighten, and their five young children鈥攆our girls and one boy. It was the first hot day of the year, and they were simply enjoying a peaceful afternoon together at the lake. In an instant, everything changed.”
Leighten told 成人X站 7 the park was filled with families when gunshots rang out on Wednesday.
鈥淲e just hear this pow! You know, and I look, and I鈥檓 like, what is that? Then a pow pow pow pow pow came after that, but I see like sparks coming off of the ground,鈥� she explained.
Leighton said she saw the gunman by the playground.
鈥淗e鈥檚 shooting anywhere. I see him, you know, boom, boom, just shooting, just running and just shooting,鈥� she explained.
Seven people were shot.
As Leighten tried to find her kids in all the chaos, she realized her husband was one of the victims.
鈥淎nd he鈥檚 like I鈥檓 shot, I鈥檓 shot, I鈥檓 shot, you know. And there鈥檚 just like blood splitting out, splitting out,鈥� Ron鈥檚 wife, Leighten, said.
Ron was shot in the abdomen and was hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting. He is now in the ICU facing major surgery on his liver.
She said her husband was struck by a bullet in front of their very young son.
鈥淢y son is here and he鈥檚 like, I don鈥檛 want my daddy to die. I don鈥檛 want him to die, you know,鈥� Leighten recounted.
During the interview, Leighten鈥檚 family held her close for support. They鈥檙e devastated that a place they love to visit is forever changed by another act of senseless gun violence.
鈥淭he thoughtlessness and the carelessness, they don鈥檛 value life anymore,鈥� Norelin Ballard, Leighton鈥檚 aunt, said.
They said they鈥檙e heartbroken for everyone who was at the park when the shooting happened.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 even want to go to the lake anymore, you know, and be in a big group setting anywhere. You know, it鈥檚 like we鈥檝e got to be secluded somewhere by ourselves.鈥�
