Wednesday marks 1 year since death of Pierce County Deputy Dom Calata

KIRO 7 News Staff
·1 min read

Wednesday marks one year since Pierce County Deputy Dom Calata and then-Sergeant Rich Scanliffe were shot during a SWAT operation in Spanaway.

The two were working to arrest a man who had a warrant for assault, leading to a shootout. Both Scanliffe and Calata were hit, and Calata died at the hospital.

Calata, 35, served with the sheriff’s department for more than six years and is survived by his wife and young son.

During his procession, a massive stream of law enforcement officials and civilians paid tribute, with many watching being moved to tears.

Scanliffe returned to duty in August 2022 and has since been promoted to Lieutenant and continues to serve as SWAT commander.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday that it is “appreciative and thankful for the support of our community over the past year as we continue to mourn the loss of our friend and coworker.”

The department is planning to share a special video tribute Thursday.