A shooting south of Spokane left multiple officers injured Tuesday afternoon near the small town of Spangle, prompting federal agents to rush to the scene and shutting down a major highway for hours. Agencies have given differing accounts of exactly how many officers were hurt, but the incident near U.S. Highway 195 sent several people to the hospital and triggered a multi-agency response that stretched into the evening.
ATF Special Agents said they were on scene and assisting in Spangle after the shooting incident left multiple officers injured, according to a statement from ATF Seattle
. The federal agency directed all media inquiries to Washington State Patrol, which it identified as the primary investigating agency.
Two Spokane County Sheriff's Office deputies were injured during a confrontation on U.S. Highway 195 near Smythe Road, south of Spokane, according to The Spokesman-Review. The outlet also reported that at least one civilian was injured in the incident. As of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, two deputies were being treated for their injuries, according to sheriff's Cpl. Mark Gregory, per the same report.
Conflicting Reports on How Many Officers Were Hurt
Accounts of the total number of injured officers have varied across local outlets. KREM reported that at least three law enforcement officers were injured in the shooting, according to Washington State Patrol, a figure that differs from the two-deputy count cited by the Spokesman-Review. KOMO News similarly reported that two Spokane County sheriff's deputies and another person were shot Tuesday afternoon and were being treated at hospitals.
KOMO News reported that the two deputies were taken to Sacred Heart Hospital, though their conditions were unknown at the time. KHQ reported that Washington State Patrol said one officer was injured while responding to a domestic violence call in Spangle and was airlifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center, with the officer's condition unknown. A second officer was injured and transported to Sacred Heart by patrol car, the station reported.
Hospital Confirms Three Patients, No Immediate Word on Conditions
Providence Inland Northwest confirmed to KHQ that it had three patients who were injured in the Spangle shooting but said it could not provide an update on their conditions at the time. The station reported that, as of its 6:21 p.m. update, the scene remained active but there was no current threat to the community.
The Spokesman-Review reported that the deputies had been responding to a shooting in the area possibly related to domestic violence, according to Washington State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Greg Riddell. Reports have also differed over which agency is leading the investigation: ATF Seattle named Washington State Patrol as the primary investigating agency, while a KGW report indicated the investigation was being led by the Spokane Police Department.
Highway Shut Down for Hours During Response
Both directions of U.S. Highway 195 were closed for hours due to police activity, stretching from Stutler to Smythe roads, according to the Spokesman-Review's reporting. The northbound right lane later reopened, the outlet noted, though the full scope and duration of the closure beyond that point was not detailed.
The shooting prompted a rapid, multi-agency response involving local sheriff's deputies, state troopers, and federal ATF agents converging on the small Spokane County community.
