SPANGLE, WA - Two Spokane County deputies were shot and killed after responding to a reported domestic violence shooting, a sheriff’s office spokesman said, according to Fox News Digital.
Authorities said that Deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry were met with gunfire from inside a home near Spangle, a small community of under 300 people located 18 miles south of Spokane, as they attempted to enter the home to rescue possible hostages being held inside.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Police Department expressed sorrow over the murder of the two deputies, stating they were devastated by the shooting while expressing support for 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 responded to a home in the 18700 block of South Smythe Road last Tuesday at around 2:25 p.m., the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said, after a woman called and said she had been shot by her brother. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Deputies were told the suspect had an active felony warrant and possibly had access to weapons, and that additional victims could be inside the home.
At around 3:15 p.m., members of the Spokane County SWAT team approached the home for an emergency entry due to fear for people’s safety, KATU-2 reported. As deputies breached the home, gunfire rang out, and Acheson and Perry were critically injured. They were removed to safety and transported to Sacred Heart Hospital, where both succumbed to their wounds.
Three people were found dead at the scene: the suspect, another person inside the home, and a person found in the yard. The motive and circumstances surrounding the deaths are unknown.
Acheson had served with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office since July 17, 2022, and was a member of the SWAT team. Before joining the sheriff’s office, he worked as a state trooper with the Washington State Patrol from 2014 to 2022. He was also a member of the Washington Army National Guard, serving as a sergeant. He was assigned to the 81st Brigade’s 1-161st Infantry Battalion.
Acheson was a decorated soldier, earning three Army Commendation Medals among other awards. He also attended the Army’s Sniper Course in 2017.
He was a valued member of the SWAT team, with the sheriff’s office saying, “He provided overwatch for team members. His team made entries knowing Acheson’s experience and skills added to their safety as a team.”
Deputy Acheson is survived by his wife and two children.
Deputy Perry had served with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office since May 2020 and was a member of the SWAT team before becoming a K-9 deputy in 2025.
Perry earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and served as a captain and military intelligence officer in the Army National Guard. Perry responded to the shooting call with his K-9 partner, Brego, and forced entry into the home despite the danger.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said Perry “laid down his life to rescue another during this entry and was critically injured in the process.” Perry’s family has chosen to donate his organs to help others, the office said.
Perry is survived by his wife and two children, with his wife expecting a third child.
“It’s a very tragic day in Spokane County,” Sheriff John Nowels said before news of the deputies’ deaths hit. “A lot of families have been affected. Both of our deputies, fighting for their lives.”
“Although we know our Deputies knew the risks, they bravely moved toward danger to protect others they did not know. They did this with honor and with an unwavering sense of duty to their oath to serve and protect the citizens of Spokane County; they heroically placed themselves in mortal danger. They are true examples of selfless service and dedication,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “They are the epitome of what the men and women in law enforcement are; they are the best of all of us. We cherish having served with them as we begin to process the devastating and unthinkable loss.”
Due to the Officer-involved Critical Incident Protocol being enacted, the Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team has been charged with the entire investigation, including the original domestic violence shooting call/homicide.
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