On a November afternoon near Spangle, a call for help from a wounded woman drew two men of the Spokane County Sheriff's Office toward a door that would take them both. Their shared service, in the Guard and in the uniform of public safety, had prepared them to walk into danger for others, and they did. The story now belongs to the families who must carry its weight, and to a county still counting the cost of a single tragic day.
Two Washington Deputies Killed Attempting to Rescue Possible Hostages in Domestic Violence Case
Two sheriff's deputies were killed and left behind wives and children, with Perry's wife expecting their third; three others, including the suspect, Ryan Larsen, and two relatives, were also killed.
They moved toward danger to protect others they did not know
Mark
Why did these two deputies end up going in, rather than waiting?
Mimi
Because there might have been other victims inside. The woman had been shot, the suspect had a felony warrant and maybe more weapons, and SWAT was already on the way.
Luke
Worth noting that "possible hostages" is the sheriff's framing of uncertainty. The reporting doesn't say anyone was confirmed held inside.
Mark
What do we know about how Perry got there?
Mimi
He answered the call with his K-9, Brego, and the sheriff's office says he came on his own, without prompting. He joined the team around 3:15 p.m. and forced entry.
Luke
That's the sheriff's office account. The public details of who fired and from where are thin beyond gunfire from inside.
Mark
And the people inside the house?
Mimi
Ryan Larsen, 37, died of a self-inflicted wound, per the medical examiner. Two others died, Suzanne, 72, and Rebecca, 45, identified in an obituary as his mother and sister.
Luke
The relationship comes from an obituary reported by the newspaper, not from authorities. And nothing here says when they died or who killed them.
Mark
What stands out about the deputies themselves?
Mimi
Both were Guard veterans from the same battalion, and both were fathers. Perry's wife was expecting their third child.
Der Puls
- A 911 call from a wounded woman sent deputies racing into a tense domestic violence scene near Spangle on Nov. 3.
- Gunfire from inside the house struck Deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry as they forced entry to rescue possible hostages.
- Teammates returned fire, dragged both men to cover, and called in helicopters while highways closed to speed them to hospital.
- Acheson died at the hospital, Perry's organs were donated, and the suspect and two relatives were found dead, leaving a county in mourning.
- Flags are at half-staff, donations are flowing toward funeral costs, and Perry's wife awaits their third child.
On a November afternoon near Spangle, a call for help from a wounded woman drew two men of the Spokane County Sheriff's Office toward a door that would take them both. Their shared service, in the Guard and in the uniform of public safety, had prepared them to walk into danger for others, and they did. The story now belongs to the families who must carry its weight, and to a county still counting the cost of a single tragic day.
At about 2:25 p.m. on Nov. 3, Spokane County deputies were sent to a home south of Spokane after a woman called to say she had been shot. The suspect had an active felony warrant and might have more weapons, and other victims could still be inside, so SWAT was called. The woman was taken to hospital with injuries that appeared not to be life-threatening.
K-9 Deputy Parker Perry arrived with his dog, Brego, and joined the team approaching the house around 3:15 p.m. Gunfire from inside struck him and Deputy Mason Acheson as they forced their way in. Teammates returned fire, pulled both men to cover and began treating them. Helicopters were requested and highways were closed to speed them to hospital. Acheson died after arriving. Perry remained on life support while arrangements were made for him to donate his organs.
Inside the house, the suspect, Ryan Larsen, 37, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The medical examiner also identified his mother, Suzanne Larsen, 72, and sister, Rebecca Larsen, 45, as killed. Sheriff John Nowels called it a very tragic day for the county.
The two deputies had served together in the same Washington Army National Guard battalion. Acheson, a former State Patrol trooper and SWAT sniper, left behind a wife and two children. Perry, a SWAT veteran and new K-9 deputy, also leaves a wife and two children, and she is expecting their third. Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered flags lowered, and donations are being collected for the families, who have asked for privacy.
At about 2:25 p.m. on Nov. 3, Spokane County sheriff's deputies were sent to a home near Spangle, south of Spokane, after a woman called to say she had been shot. Within an hour, two of them would be fatally wounded going through the door.
The sheriff's office says deputies learned the suspect had an active felony warrant and might have access to more weapons. Other victims could still have been inside, so SWAT was called. The woman who made the call was taken to a hospital with injuries that appeared not to be life-threatening.
Deputy Parker Perry, a K-9 deputy, came to the scene with his dog, Brego. The sheriff's office says he responded on his own, without prompting. Around 3:15 p.m. he joined the team approaching the house and forced his way in. Gunfire from inside struck him and Deputy Mason Acheson. Their teammates returned fire, pulled both men to cover and began treating their wounds.
The Washington State Patrol says medical helicopters were requested and stretches of Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 195 were closed to help get the deputies to the hospital. Acheson died after arriving there. Perry was kept on life support while arrangements were made for him to donate his organs; the sheriff's office said he would continue to serve others with the gift of life. FBI Director Kash Patel listed Nov. 4 as Acheson's end of watch and Nov. 7 as Perry's.
Back at the house, Spokane police took over the scene after SWAT teams from Spokane and Kootenai County arrived. A drone sent inside found the suspect dead, according to the State Patrol. The Spokane County medical examiner, as reported by The Spokesman-Review, determined that Ryan Larsen, 37, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The examiner identified two other people killed as Suzanne Larsen, 72, and Rebecca Larsen, 45. A family obituary named them as Larsen's mother and sister. Sheriff John Nowels called it a very tragic day in Spokane County and said a lot of families had been affected.
The two deputies shared a military past. Both served in the same Washington Army National Guard infantry battalion. Acheson enlisted in 2011, rose to sergeant, served in Poland from 2021 to 2022 and earned three Army Commendation Medals. He spent eight years as a Washington State Patrol trooper and firearms instructor before joining the sheriff's office in 2022, where, as a SWAT sniper, he watched over teammates entering dangerous scenes.
Perry joined the sheriff's office in 2020, spent three years on its SWAT team and became a K-9 deputy in 2025. He joined the Guard in 2017, rose to captain as a military intelligence officer and earned two Army Commendation Medals.
Both men leave behind wives and two children each. Perry and his wife were expecting their third child. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said he knew Acheson and his wife from a CrossFit gym and that she was his children's first piano teacher, calling them just wonderful people. Patel pledged the FBI's full support to the families, friends and colleagues.
Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered flags at state facilities lowered to half-staff on Monday, Nov. 9. The Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort is accepting donations for funeral expenses, with any remainder going to the families, who have asked for privacy.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
They bravely moved toward danger to protect others they did not know.— Spokane County Sheriff's Office and Spokane Valley Police Department
It was a very tragic day in Spokane County. A lot of families have been affected.— Sheriff John Nowels
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