A man charged in fatal shooting in Tacoma has been ordered to undergo a competency evaluation.

Prosecutors charged Roberto Juan Salas, 38, with two counts of second-degree murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm for the Friday shooting.

The defense requested the court order a competency test Tuesday, according to Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Adam Faber via email.

A court filing from 4:08 p.m. shows Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille ordered that Salas be held on no bail while he undergoes the competency test.

A competency hearing is scheduled for July 15 but is subject to change.

The victim’s identity has not yet been released, pending confirmation from the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Charging details

Officers were dispatched at 10:55 p.m. to the 8800 block of Pacific Avenue for a call that a person had been shot. Officers attempted life-saving measures. The man had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead by Tacoma Fire Department personnel at 11:06 p.m, according to charging documents.

The victim lived in an apartment nearby but was found on the ground in front of a different unit.

Another resident told police she and the victim were sitting together inside when the alleged shooter, “Roberto,” walked inside. She said Salas and the victim were talking about a money issue, documents show. The victim got upset and left the unit along with the alleged shooter. Soon after, the woman heard knocking on her door and the man yelling he had been shot.

Documents show that a witness living in a different unit heard a gunshot and heard yelling. When he ran out of his apartment, he saw a man riding his bicycle away. Once the witness found the victim, he attempted medical aid and called 911. A detective noted that Salas is known for riding his bicycle up and down Pacific Avenue.

The woman who was with the victim before the shooting told detectives she knew both the victim and Salas, document show. She said she was trying to phase out her relationship with Salas and that he had been acting “very weird” lately. She said he would stare off and appeared to be getting hostile. She previously told him to not stop by her apartment, and he needed to call first.

In her interview with detectives, the woman gave a timeline of her interactions with Salas before the fatal shooting. She said he came by her apartment throughout the day, even though that morning she told Salas he could not, documents show.

When the victim came over and they were in her room, Salas walked in without her permission, documents show. When the woman told him he could not just walk into her room, Salas was staring at them and making sounds.

The victim alleged Salas stole his marijuana, and they got into an argument. The victim told Salas he needed to leave before things got out of hand, documents show. The victim got out of the apartment first, according to documents show. Salas followed him.

Later, the man knocked on the woman’s door for help as he had been shot, documents show. The woman told officers that when she looked out the window, she did not see anyone and got scared so she did not open the door.

Detectives identified Salas as the alleged shooter through his phone records, surveillance footage from the apartment and witness statements.

A mental health case worker contacted police and said that Salas and the victim were clients in a program, documents show. Detectives learned the woman, Salas and the victim used to live together. The woman and victim then moved out.

Detectives learned from the case worker that Salas is diagnosed with schizophrenia and recently missed an appointment. He also missed his medication appointment, documents show.

Salas also texted the woman from the apartment and allegedly admitted to shooting the victim.

During Salas’ interview Monday with detectives after he had been detained, he claimed the victim wanted to attack him over the marijuana. He said as he was waiting at a bus stop, the victim allegedly came out with a blanket over his head and a stick.

Salas alleged that he warned the victim to not attack him otherwise he would shoot. He claimed when the victim tried to attack him with the stick, he drew his gun and fired a shot.

Detectives noted that Salas could not tell them if he got hit with a stick or not, documents show. He said he the stick might have hit him in the neck, head or back, but he was not sure. Detectives wrote they did not see injuries on him.

The gun allegedly used in the shooting was in Salas’ waistband during his arrest, documents show.

Salas has previous convictions including in 2018 for criminal mischief with a deadly weapon in Pierce County.