Deputy-Involved Shooting with an Armed Active Shooter at Eastern State Hospital Spokane County, WA – September 27, 2025
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed a tragic deputy-involved shooting following a violent active shooter incident at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake during the early morning hours of September 27, 2025.
Despite the immediate response from law enforcement and medical personnel, one hospital employee sustained fatal gunshot wounds at the hands of the suspect. The suspect, armed and wearing tactical-type gear, was also shot and pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team (SIIR) has been assigned to conduct an independent investigation into the sequence of events, as required under Washington State’s officer-involved incident protocol.
Timeline of Events
12:05 a.m. – Brush Fire & Erratic Behavior
Firefighters responded to a reported brush fire near the 200 block of E. SR 902. Witnesses told emergency crews that an adult male at the scene was yelling, acting aggressively, and making bizarre statements referencing “aliens.” Firefighters requested law enforcement support, but the man had fled before deputies arrived.
1:40 a.m. – Shots Fired in Medical Lake Residence
Roughly an hour later, a caller reported a man armed with a rifle entering an occupied home near W. Idaho Street and S. Lake Drive in Medical Lake. The suspect fired several rounds inside the home as terrified residents hid to protect themselves. Fortunately, none of the occupants were physically injured. Deputies responding to the area reported hearing gunfire across the lake, suggesting the suspect had moved.
1:54 a.m. – Shooting at Eastern State Hospital
Just minutes later, hospital staff placed an emergency call reporting that a fellow employee had been shot in the parking lot and was believed to be deceased. Witnesses stated the suspect took the victim’s radio and made disturbing transmissions, including statements about an “army coming.”
Law Enforcement Confrontation
Deputies responded immediately to the hospital campus. Within minutes, an exchange of gunfire was reported. The suspect was located near a vehicle believed to be his and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered both a rifle and a handgun near his body, along with tactical-type gear, ammunition, and additional equipment inside the vehicle.
Sadly, deputies confirmed that the hospital employee victim was deceased despite efforts to render aid.
Investigation
Following standard procedure, the Officer-Involved Protocol was invoked. The Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team (SIIR), composed of multiple agencies in eastern Washington, is leading the investigation. The Spokane Police Department is serving as the case-managing agency.
The agencies represented within the SIIR include:
- Spokane Police Department (lead agency)
- Washington State Patrol
- Liberty Lake Police Department
- Airway Heights Police Department
- Spokane Valley Police Department
- Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (non-investigative role)
To maintain transparency and compliance with WAC 139-12, personnel from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley Police Department will not take part in the investigation beyond the required administrative procedures.
The Deputy who discharged his firearm has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation, which is consistent with departmental policy.
Next Steps
- The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the names of the deceased hospital employee and the suspect, along with their cause and manner of death, at the appropriate time.
- The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office will release the identity of the involved Deputy in accordance with policy.
- Once the SIIR Team has completed its investigation, findings will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for legal review.
Closing Statement
This incident represents a tragic and rapidly unfolding series of events that spanned multiple locations, endangered the public, and ultimately claimed two lives, including that of an innocent hospital employee. Law enforcement officials emphasized that the investigation is in its earliest stages, and information may evolve as evidence is processed and witness statements are gathered.
Further updates will be provided exclusively through the SIIR Team as the investigation continues.
