Two Washington state sheriff’s deputies were killed while attempting to rescue possible hostages after a woman called for help following a domestic violence shooting, authorities said.
Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry were met with gunfire from inside a home near Spangle, south of Spokane, as they tried to enter on Nov. 3, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Police Department said they were heartbroken by the deaths and pledged to stand behind 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, the sheriff’s office said. Because other victims could still be inside, authorities requested a SWAT response. 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. The pair joined the team moving toward the residence at about 3:15 p.m., and Perry forced his way inside, officials said.
After gunfire struck Perry and Acheson, fellow officers returned fire, dragged the deputies to safety and began treating them. Medical helicopters were requested, while portions of Interstate 90 and US Highway 195 were closed to speed their transport to the hospital, the Washington State Patrol said.
Acheson died after arriving at the hospital. Perry remained on life support while preparations were made for him to donate his organs. 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.
At the home, Spokane police assumed control of the scene as SWAT teams from Spokane and Kootenai County responded. A drone sent into the residence located the suspect dead, according to the State Patrol.
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 victims as Suzanne Larsen, 72, and Rebecca Larsen, 45. A family obituary described them as Larsen’s mother and sister, the newspaper reported.
“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.”
Acheson and Perry served together in the Washington Army National Guard’s infantry battalion, the sheriff’s office said. Acheson enlisted in 2011, eventually became a sergeant and served in Poland from 2021 to 2022, earning three Army Commendation Medals. 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 colleagues entering dangerous situations.
“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 enlisted in the Guard in 2017, rose to the rank of 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 deputies in separate posts on X, identifying Nov. 4 as Acheson’s end-of-watch date and Nov. 7 as Perry’s.
Patel noted that both deputies were military veterans and said the bureau would support their relatives, 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, adding that she had been his children’s first piano teacher. “Just wonderful people,” he wrote in a tribute.
In a separate post, Baumgartner urged 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 two deputies.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said the Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort is accepting donations to help pay the deputies’ funeral costs. 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.