An armed man was fatally shot by a Spokane County sheriff’s deputy early Friday after killing a hospital employee outside Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake, following a series of erratic incidents across the area.
The Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team is leading the investigation into the deadly confrontation that unfolded across multiple locations beginning shortly after midnight September 27.
The incident chain began when firefighters responded to a brush fire near the 200 block of East State Route 902. Witnesses reported a man acting erratically and shouting about aliens, but he departed before law enforcement arrived.
Around 1:40 a.m., a separate 911 call reported an armed man entering a residence near West Idaho Street and South Lake Drive. The suspect fired several shots inside while residents hid, then fled without injuring anyone.
At approximately 1:54 a.m., an Eastern State Hospital employee reported a staff member had been shot in the hospital parking lot. The suspect stole the victim’s radio and began broadcasting alarming messages about an “army coming,” according to authorities.
Responding deputies exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who was later found dead near a vehicle believed to be his. Law enforcement recovered a rifle, handgun, tactical-style gear, ammunition, and additional equipment from the scene and vehicle.
The hospital employee shot in the parking lot died from injuries sustained in the attack. Their identity has not been released pending family notification.
The deputy involved in the fatal shooting has been placed on administrative leave following standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.
Eastern State Hospital is a Washington state psychiatric facility that treats individuals with mental illness, making the location of the attack particularly concerning for staff and patients.
The multi-scene incident required coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies responding to rapidly evolving threats across Medical Lake. The sequence of events suggests an individual in severe mental health crisis exhibiting increasingly dangerous behavior.
The Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team will examine the deputy’s use of deadly force, the circumstances leading to the hospital employee’s death, and the suspect’s actions throughout the incident.
Administrative leave for involved officers is standard procedure during investigations of officer-involved shootings, allowing for independent review of the incident while supporting officer wellbeing.
