On a Tuesday in Spokane County, Washington, a frightened woman ran to a neighbor and said her brother had shot her, and in doing so set in motion a chain that would take the lives of a deputy and four people in all. The responding officers, wary of a man with an active felony warrant and multiple firearms, called in a SWAT team, only to be met with gunfire at the door. It is one more reminder of how a domestic call can turn in an instant, and how those who run toward danger often carry its cost for families they will never meet.
Spokane County Deputy Killed, Second on Life Support After SWAT Team Ambushed at Domestic Call
A Spokane County deputy is dead, a second deputy is not expected to survive, and four people including the suspect died in the shooting; the deputy who died is survived by his wife and two children.
They bravely moved toward danger to protect others they did not know.
Mark
Let's start with how this began. It wasn't a SWAT call at first, was it?
Mimi
No. A woman ran to a neighbor's house saying her brother had shot her. Deputies went out on that report, and then learned about the felony warrant and the guns.
Mark
So the SWAT deployment came from what they found on arrival.
Mimi
Yes. They also feared there might be more victims inside, which is why the team approached and tried to breach the door.
Luke
Worth noting that the account of the sequence comes from the sheriff and FOX 13 Seattle's reporting. We don't have an independent timeline of the shots.
Mark
What do we actually know about who died?
Mimi
Four people are dead: one deputy, one person inside the house, one in the yard, and the suspect. The deputy leaves a wife and two children.
Luke
But only the deputy's death is tied to a clear cause in the reporting. The identities of the others haven't been released, and nobody has said how the two other people died.
Mark
And the second deputy?
Mimi
On life support, not expected to survive, and the office says he is an organ donor.
Luke
Note that is the officials' expectation, not a confirmed death. The four-dead count may not include him, and it may change.
The Pulse
- A routine domestic violence call turned deadly the moment SWAT officers reached the door of a Spokane County home.
- A gunman opened fire from inside, wounding two deputies and forcing a rapid rescue under fire.
- One wounded deputy has died, leaving a wife and two children, while a second remains on life support with little hope.
- Four people are dead, including the suspect, and investigators are still working to learn how he gained access to his weapons.
On a Tuesday in Spokane County, Washington, a frightened woman ran to a neighbor and said her brother had shot her, and in doing so set in motion a chain that would take the lives of a deputy and four people in all. The responding officers, wary of a man with an active felony warrant and multiple firearms, called in a SWAT team, only to be met with gunfire at the door. It is one more reminder of how a domestic call can turn in an instant, and how those who run toward danger often carry its cost for families they will never meet.
A woman ran to a neighbor's house in Spokane County on Tuesday and said her brother had shot her. Deputies responding to the report learned that the suspect had an active felony arrest warrant, access to several guns, and possibly more victims inside the home. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office brought in a SWAT team.
As officers moved to breach the door, the gunman fired from inside. Deputies returned fire and pulled two wounded colleagues to safety. The woman who first made the call was also taken to a hospital, though her injuries were not life-threatening.
Inside the house, investigators found one person dead, and another body lay in the yard. The suspect was also found dead. On Wednesday, the sheriff's office confirmed that one of the wounded deputies had died. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The office said he and his colleagues had known the risks and still moved toward danger for people they did not know.
The second deputy remains on life support, and officials say he is not expected to survive. He is an organ donor, and the agency said he will continue to serve others through that gift. Names of the dead have not yet been released, and it remains unclear how the suspect came to have his weapons. Those answers, and plans for memorials, are what the coming days will bring.
A woman ran to a neighbor's house in Spokane County, Washington, on Tuesday and told them her brother had shot her. That report brought sheriff's deputies to the home, and by Wednesday it had cost the department one deputy and left a second on life support.
The responding deputies learned two things quickly. The suspect had an active felony arrest warrant, and he had access to multiple guns. They also had reason to think there could be more victims inside the house. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office sent in a SWAT team to assist, according to FOX 13 Seattle, which first reported the account.
As SWAT officers and deputies approached the house, they tried to breach the door. Sheriff John Nowels described what followed at a news conference: the team was met with gunfire. A gunman had opened fire from inside. Deputies returned fire and dragged the two wounded deputies to safety.
Both wounded deputies were rushed to a hospital, along with the woman who had first reported the shooting. Her injuries were not life-threatening.
Investigators then worked through the scene. Inside the home they found one person dead. Another body lay in the yard. The suspect was also found dead on the property. That makes four dead in all, counting the deputy who later died. Authorities have not released the identities of the people who died.
On Wednesday the sheriff's office confirmed that one of the wounded deputies had died of his injuries. He is survived by his wife and two children. In a statement, the office said the deputies knew the risks, yet "bravely moved toward danger" to protect people they did not know. It said they acted with honor and with an unwavering sense of duty to their oath, and that they heroically placed themselves in mortal danger.
The second deputy remains on life support, and officials say he is not expected to survive. The agency said he is an organ donor, that arrangements are being made, and that he will continue to serve others through the gift of life.
The public record is still thin. Names have not been released for the dead or for the deputies. It is not yet clear how the suspect came to have access to the guns, or exactly how the other two people died. Those answers, along with memorial arrangements, are what to watch for in the coming days.
Notable Quotes
SWAT team members and deputies approached the house, attempted to breach the door and were met with gunfire.— Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels
As an organ donor, arrangements are being made, and he will continue to serve others with the gift of life.— Spokane County Sheriff's Office
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