By Sohaib Shams
One sheriff's deputy has died and a second is not expected to survive after a firefight with a suspect in Spangle, Washington, a small farming community south of Spokane, authorities said Wednesday.
Response to Domestic Violence Call
Deputies responded Tuesday afternoon after a woman told a neighbor she had been shot by her brother. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office said the suspect had a felony warrant and there might be other victims. SWAT team members and deputies attempted to breach the door when gunfire erupted from inside the home, striking two deputies.
Deputies Identified as SWAT Members
Both deputies were taken to a hospital in critical condition. One died that night, while the other was kept on life support Wednesday to allow for organ donation. Sheriff John Nowels described them as younger members of the SWAT team. The deputy who died leaves behind a wife and two children.
Suspect and Additional Victims Found Dead
Other deputies returned fire and found the suspect dead inside the residence, along with one victim in the house and another in the yard. The names of the suspect and victims have not been released. The woman who reported the initial shooting was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to the violence.
