Two Spokane County sheriff’s deputies were fatally shot while attempting to rescue possible hostages inside a home near Spangle, south of Spokane, following a domestic violence shooting, authorities said.
Deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry came under gunfire from inside the home as they tried to force entry on Nov. 3, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The agency, together with the Spokane Valley Police Department, said it was devastated by the loss and committed to supporting the deputies’ families.
“They bravely moved toward danger to protect others they did not know. They are true examples of selfless service and dedication,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
Deputies first responded around 2:25 p.m. after a woman reported being shot. The sheriff’s office said investigators learned the suspect had an active felony warrant and might have additional weapons, and that other victims could still be inside. SWAT was called in. The woman who reported the shooting was taken to the hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Perry, a K-9 deputy, responded with his dog, Brego, joining the approach to the house around 3:15 p.m. and forcing his way in, according to the sheriff’s office.
When gunfire struck Perry and Acheson, fellow deputies returned fire, pulled the two men to cover and began treating their wounds. Medical helicopters were called, and the Washington State Patrol closed stretches of Interstate 90 and US Highway 195 to speed their transport to the hospital.
Acheson died after arriving at the hospital. Perry was placed 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.” Both deputies left behind wives and two children each, and Perry and his wife were expecting a third.
At the scene, Spokane police took over after SWAT teams from Spokane and Kootenai County responded. A drone sent into the house found the suspect dead.
The Spokane County medical examiner determined that Ryan Larsen, 37, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to The Spokesman-Review. The medical examiner also identified two other people killed as Suzanne Larsen, 72, and Rebecca Larsen, 45, who a family obituary identified as Larsen’s mother and sister, the newspaper reported.
“It was a very tragic day in Spokane County. A lot of families have been affected,” Sheriff John Nowels told reporters, according to The Spokesman-Review.
Fellow soldiers, decorated veterans
Acheson and Perry served in the same Washington Army National Guard infantry battalion, the sheriff’s office said. 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, later serving as a SWAT sniper watching over teammates during dangerous operations.
Perry joined the sheriff’s office in 2020, spent three years on its SWAT team and became a K-9 deputy in 2025. He had joined the Guard in 2017, rising to captain as a military intelligence officer and earning two Army Commendation Medals. The sheriff’s office said that when the call came in near Spangle, Perry responded “on his own, without prompting.”
Tributes and support
FBI Director Kash Patel honored each deputy in separate posts, listing Nov. 4 as Acheson’s end of watch and Nov. 7 as Perry’s. Patel noted both men were military veterans and pledged the bureau’s continued support to their families, friends and colleagues, writing in both posts, “They will have our full support.”
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said he knew Acheson and his wife through a CrossFit gym, where she had also been his children’s first piano teacher, calling them “just wonderful people.” In a separate post, Baumgartner asked the public to keep both families in their prayers, saying the deputies “both died protecting our community.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered flags at state facilities lowered to half-staff on Monday, Nov. 9, in honor of the deputies.
The Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort is accepting donations to help cover funeral expenses for the deputies, with any remaining funds going to their families. The sheriff’s office said it was “grateful and honored by the outpouring of heartfelt condolences and prayers,” and noted that the families have requested privacy as they grieve.
