Surviving Deputy From Spanaway Shooting Released From Hospital

TACOMA, WA — After several days in the hospital, Sergeant Rich Scaniffe has been released, after doctors determined he could safely finish his recovery at home.

Scaniffe was one of two deputies shot during a SWAT operation in south Spanaway Tuesday. The other, 35-year-old Deputy Dominique "Dom" Calata, later passed away from his injuries. The suspected shooter was shot and killed. Though Scaniffe was also shot, his injuries were less severe. He underwent emergency surgery Tuesday, and after three days in the hospital left triumphant Friday, escorted home by his fellow SWAT Team members.

"Sergeant Rich Scaniffe (SWAT Commander) has been released from the hospital," the Sheriff's Department shared in a post on Facebook. "He was expected to be in the hospital for up to a week, but thanks to the amazing work by the medical staff, doctors, and nurses, he is going home after just three days in the hospital. Sergeant Scaniffe has been determined to get better and has been working on rehabbing."

Scaniffe, 45, has worked in the Sheriff's Department for 21 years and is currently assigned to their Mountain Detachment. He has also served on the Department's SWAT team for 14 years, and has been its commander for the last year. He is married and has a young daughter.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff's Department has teamed up with Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers to organize a legacy fund to benefit the Calata family, which will give 100 percent of proceeds raised directly to Deputy Calata's wife and his young son.

As for the shooting, it remains under the jurisdiction of the Pierce County Force Investigation Team (PCFIT), who will continue to investigate the incident, a standard response for any situation in which police use deadly force inside the county.