Two Spokane County deputies killed breaching home to rescue hostages; suspect and two family members also dead
Deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry were fatally shot on Nov. 3 as they forced entry into a rural Washington home where a gunman had already killed his mother and sister.
A domestic violence call south of Spokane ended with five people dead — including two sheriff's deputies who ran toward gunfire to save lives they had never known. Spokane County deputies Mason Acheson and Parker Perry were shot and killed on November 3 as they forced entry into a home near Spangle, Washington, where a gunman had already killed two members of his own family. Their deaths mark the worst day for a Washington law enforcement agency since the 2009 assassinations of four Lakewood officers, according to the Seattle Times.
The sequence began around 2:25 p.m. when a woman fled to a neighbor's home, reporting that her brother had shot her in the chest. Deputies responding to the scene learned the suspect — later identified by the Spokane County medical examiner as Ryan Larsen, 37 — had an active felony warrant and likely had access to additional weapons. Fearing other victims were still inside the home at 18700 block of South Smythe Road, they called in SWAT teams from Spokane and Kootenai County.
Around 3:15 p.m., members of the Spokane County SWAT team approached the house for an emergency entry. Perry, a K-9 deputy, had responded to the call on his own initiative, bringing his dog, Brego. As the team moved in and forced entry, gunfire erupted from inside. Both Acheson and Perry were struck. Their teammates returned fire, pulled the two wounded deputies to cover, and began treating them on the scene.
The Washington State Patrol shut down portions of Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 195 to allow faster medical transport. Both deputies were taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. Acheson died early Wednesday. Arrangements were made for Perry, who was placed on life support, to donate his organs; the sheriff's office said he would 'continue to serve others with the gift of life.' According to Fox News, FBI Director Kash Patel recorded November 4 as Acheson's end of watch and November 7 as Perry's.
They bravely moved toward danger to protect others they did not know. They are true examples of selfless service and dedication.— Spokane County Sheriff's Office and Spokane Valley Police Department, joint statement
When a drone was sent into the house, it found the suspect dead. The medical examiner determined Ryan Larsen died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two other victims were found dead: Suzanne Larsen, 72, and Rebecca Larsen, 45, both killed by gunshot wounds to the head. According to the Spokesman-Review, as cited by Fox News, a family obituary identified the two women as Larsen's mother and sister. The woman who had initially fled survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
It was a very tragic day in Spokane County. A lot of families have been affected.— Sheriff John Nowels
Acheson and Perry shared more than a badge. The two men were members of the same Washington Army National Guard infantry battalion. Acheson, who enlisted in 2011, rose to sergeant, deployed to Poland from 2021 to 2022, and earned three Army Commendation Medals. Before joining the sheriff's office in 2022 as a SWAT sniper — where he provided overwatch during dangerous entries — he had worked for eight years as a Washington State Patrol trooper and firearms instructor. After graduating from Carroll College in Montana with a degree in business administration, Perry came on board with the sheriff's office in 2020. Over the following years he spent three years on the SWAT team before transitioning to a K-9 deputy role in 2025, and in the Guard he held the rank of captain as a military intelligence officer, receiving two Army Commendation Medals and an Armed Forces Service Medal.
Each man was married with two children. Perry and his wife had a third child on the way. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., said he knew Acheson personally — his wife had been Baumgartner's children's first piano teacher — and called them 'just wonderful people.' Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson directed that flags at state facilities be flown at half-staff through the close of business on Monday, November 9. Donations toward funeral costs are being accepted through the Spokane County Sheriff's Office's Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort, with any surplus going to the deputies' families.
Why it matters — The killing of two deputies in a single incident is the deadliest moment for Washington state law enforcement in sixteen years, and it illustrates the acute dangers officers face when responding to domestic violence calls where additional victims may still be at risk.
⚠ Not yet confirmed
- The initial female victim feared her mother and sister were still inside the home when she fled.
Reported by foxnews.com, komonews.com, seattletimes.com, mezha.net
