Suspect identified after 2 SWAT officers shot in Spanaway
SPANAWAY, Wash. - The Pierce County Sheriff's Department said two deputies were shot in Spanaway on Tuesday and rushed to St. Joseph Medical Center.
Around 12 p.m., a small-scale SWAT operation was carried out at the Rainier Villa mobile home park in Spanaway near Pacific Ave S and 190th St Ct S.
Deputies ran a high-risk warrant service on a ‘three-strikes’ felony assault suspect, who authorities say got out of a car and started shooting at them, injuring two deputies. Officers shot back and killed the 40-year-old suspect, according to Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer.
The suspect has been identified as Jeremy Dayton.
FOX 13 is working to learn more information on the suspect. FOX 13 has obtained several court documents for previous offenses and we're working to confirm which offense warranted the police response.
The two deputies, were identified as 35-year-old Deputy Dominique "Dom" Calata and 45-year-old Sgt. Richard "Rich" Scaniffe.
According to the sheriff's department, Scaniffe underwent surgery for serious injuries but is expected to survive.
Calata is ‘gravely injured,' law enforcement told FOX 13.
"We should prepare for the worst," said Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer of Calata, during a media briefing on Tuesday.
Troyer said both families have been notified.
According to Troyer, Calata has been with the department for seven years. He served in the National Guard and Army before joining the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. He has been with the SWAT team for four years. Calata has a wife and a young son.
Calata was a "big-hearted, great guy, who got into the job for the right reasons," Troyer said.
Scaniffe has been with the department for just over two decades and has an elementary-school-aged daughter. He's a SWAT team commodore and a patrol sergeant in the mountain detachment. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department says he has been with the SWAT team for 14 years.
Troyer said they are "prepared for the worst," and will be at the hospital with the deputies for the next week.
Troyer believes the suspect involved was a "three-strikes" candidate and had a felony warrant for assault with a firearm.
The suspect apparently got out of a car and opened fire on police when they were trying to arrest him, Troyer said.
"We knew he was dangerous and that’s why we used a small contingent of our SWAT team. We do that so other people don’t get hurt," Troyer said.
The Pierce County Force Investigation Team (PCFIT) will be handling the investigation.
Get breaking news alerts in the FREE FOX 13 Seattle app. Download for Apple iOS or Android. And sign up for BREAKING NEWS emails delivered straight to your inbox.
READ NEXT:
- Neighbors worry over rising crime in Tacoma after 2 homicides in 24 hours
- WSDOT: Tacoma contractors severely injured in crash on I-5
- Tacoma Police officer on leave for controversial social media video
The Associated Press contributed to this report.