Three people died, a woman was injured and two deputies were in critical condition on Nov. 4 after a shootout at an eastern Washington state home, officials said.
During a news conference, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said that deputies responded to a home for a domestic violence call at about 2:30 p.m. PT on Nov. 3 after a woman ran to her neighbor's house and said she had been shot by her brother and other people were still in the home.
Arriving deputies learned the adult male shooting suspect had an active felony warrant for his arrest, had access to additional weapons and found additional shooting victims in the home, the agency said in a post on social media.
About 3:15 p.m. PT, SWAT team members and deputies approached the house, attempted
to breach the door and were met with gunfire, Nowels told reporters.
As they did, shots were fired from inside the home, the sheriff said, and two SWAT team members were struck by gunfire.
Other deputies returned fire, Nowels said, while working to move the injured SWAT members to safety.
Deputies found one person dead in the yard and another person dead inside the home just inside the front door, Nowels said. The suspect is also dead, he said.
As of Nov. 4, the identities of the fatality victims and shooting suspect were not immediately known.
Nowels also said a motive in the shooting remained under investigation.
'Both of our deputies are fighting for their lives'
The woman who was shot was taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, while emergency first responders transported both deputies via medial helicopter to a hospital.
As of Nov. 4, both SWAT members remained in critical condition, the agency said.
"It's a very tragic day in Spokane County. A lot of families have been affected," Nowels said. "Both of our deputies fighting, fighting for their lives."
Nowels said the Spokane Police Department is leading the homicide investigation with assistance from Washington State Patrol.
USA TODAY has reached out to the sheriff's office and Spokane police for more information.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3 dead including suspect, 2 in critical condition after Washington shootout
