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Bonney Lake is east of Tacoma in Pierce County and has a population of about 18,000.

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BONNEY LAKE, Wash. -- Authorities say a woman was killed after she was hit by a stray bullet fired into her bedroom by a man who was aiming at his car, which had just been stolen.

Pierce County Sheriff's deputies received multiple calls between 11:10 and 11:25 p.m. Thursday from people who said they heard at least 10 gunshots in Bonney Lake. Shortly afterward, a woman called 911 to report her son's Jeep was stolen. She said he fired shots from a handgun before chasing after the car.

The 41-year-old man told deputies he was sure he hit his Jeep because he saw the back window shatter.



Authorities found a bullet hole in the woman's bedroom window, which was roughly in line with the car theft victim's residence.



The man whose car was stolen was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and has been cooperative with deputies, according to Detective Sgt. Gary Sanders.



Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said those charges would be amended because the woman has died.

"With gun rights come gun responsibilities," Sheriff Paul Pastor said in a prepared statement. "I believe that people should be able to defend themselves. But the way they do it, the methods and the approaches they use, must be applied with care and responsibility. They must consider possible consequences of actions."

The man's car was found at 3:40 a.m. in a cul-de-sac about a mile from the home where it was stolen. The Jeep had at least one bullet hole in the back window. Deputies don't know if the suspect was hit.

-- The Associated Press