Two Washington state sheriff’s deputies were fatally shot while attempting to rescue possible hostages after a woman sought help following a domestic violence shooting, authorities said.
Spokane County sheriff’s deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry were approaching the home near Spangle, south of Spokane, on Nov. 3 when gunfire erupted from inside, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Police Department said they were devastated by the deaths and would support the deputies’ families.
“They bravely moved toward danger to protect others they did not know,” the agencies said in a statement. “They are true examples of selfless service and dedication.”
Deputies arrived at about 2:25 p.m. after a woman reported that she had been shot.
Investigators learned that the suspect had an active felony warrant and might have access to additional weapons. Because other victims could still be inside the home, authorities summoned SWAT teams. The wounded woman was taken to a hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
Perry, a K-9 deputy, responded with his dog, Brego. He joined the team as it approached the house at about 3:15 p.m. and forced entry, the sheriff’s office said.
When Perry and Acheson were struck by gunfire, fellow deputies returned fire, dragged them to safety and began treating their injuries. Medical helicopters were requested, while portions of Interstate 90 and US Highway 195 were closed to speed the deputies’ transport to the hospital, the Washington State Patrol said.
Acheson died after he reached the hospital. Perry remained on life support while arrangements were made for him to become an organ donor. The sheriff’s office said he would “continue to serve others with the gift of life.” Both deputies are survived by their wives and two children. Perry and his wife were expecting a third child.
Spokane police assumed control of the scene as SWAT teams from Spokane and Kootenai County responded. A drone sent into the home located the suspect dead, the State Patrol said.
The Spokane County medical examiner determined that Ryan Larsen, 37, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, The Spokesman-Review reported. The examiner also identified two other people killed in the incident as Suzanne Larsen, 72, and Rebecca Larsen, 45. A family obituary described them as Larsen’s mother and sister, according to the newspaper.
“It was a very tragic day in Spokane County,” Sheriff John Nowels told reporters, according to the outlet. “A lot of families have been affected.”
CHECK THIS OUT: Two Army Veteran Sheriff’s Deputies Killed During Hostage Rescue Attempt
Acheson and Perry served together in the same Washington Army National Guard infantry battalion, the sheriff’s office said. Acheson enlisted in 2011, eventually became a sergeant and served in Poland from 2021 to 2022. He received three Army Commendation Medals during his military career. Before joining the sheriff’s office in 2022, he spent eight years as a Washington State Patrol trooper and firearms instructor. As a SWAT sniper, he provided cover for teammates entering dangerous locations.
“In the face of danger, he stepped forward to preserve life,” the sheriff’s office said of Acheson.
Perry joined the sheriff’s office in 2020 and served on its SWAT team for three years before becoming a K-9 deputy in 2025. He joined the National Guard in 2017, rose to captain as a military intelligence officer and received two Army Commendation Medals. When the call came from near Spangle, he responded “on his own, without prompting,” the sheriff’s office said.
FBI Director Kash Patel honored the two deputies in separate posts on X, listing Nov. 4 as Acheson’s end of watch and Nov. 7 as Perry’s.
Patel noted that both deputies were military veterans and pledged the FBI’s support to their families, friends and colleagues. “They will have our full support,” he wrote in both posts.
The FBI also released separate tributes honoring Acheson and Perry.
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said he knew Acheson and his wife through a CrossFit gym and that she had been his children’s first piano teacher. “Just wonderful people,” he wrote in one tribute.
In a separate post, Baumgartner asked people to keep both families in their prayers and said the deputies “both died protecting our community.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff Monday, Nov. 9, in honor of the deputies.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said the Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort is accepting donations to help pay the deputies’ funeral expenses. Any remaining money will go to their families. The office said it was “grateful and honored by the outpouring of heartfelt condolences and prayers.”
“The families have requested privacy as they suffer this enormous loss,” the sheriff’s office said.
