The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says a hospital employee was killed after an active shooter opened fire at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake early Saturday morning.
The suspect was shot and killed by a deputy in the parking lot at the hospital, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
Authorities say the suspected shooter was at multiple locations before the shooting.
The first call to 911 came in at around 12:05 a.m. to reports of a brush fire near the intersection of State Route 902 and West Brooks Road.
The caller reported seeing a man near the fire acting aggressively and yelling but left the scene before police arrived.
At 1:40 a.m., another call came in reporting a man firing several shots inside a home near West Idaho Street and South Lake Drive.
The sheriff’s office says those inside the home were uninjured.
At 1:54 a.m., an employee at Eastern State Hospital reported that a staff member was shot in the parking lot.
Deputies responded within minutes and engaged the shooter, killing him near the vehicle he was suspected of arriving in.
The employee who was shot was pronounced dead at the scene and the sheriff’s deputy believed to have fired his weapon, killing the suspected shooter, was placed on administrative leave.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting is still under investigation.