Deputies Use UAS to Help Female in Crisis, Several Agencies Respond to Assist
Deputies Use UAS to Help Female in Crisis, Several Agencies Respond to Assist
Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to what was initially reported as a domestic violence incident. They learned the female involved was in crisis and appeared in desperate need of medical care. With her extremely erratic behavior and not knowing if she was armed, Deputies deployed an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), commonly referred to as a drone, to gain a live visual of her movements, allowing Deputies/Officers to approach and detain her safely.
Since she was not charged with a crime, we are withholding her name and the exact location of where this occurred.
On July 24, 2026, at approximately 8:35 am, Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an area in West Spokane County for a possible domestic violence incident involving a female in crisis.
During this call, Deputies, assisted by a Sheriff’s Office negotiator, Cheney Police, including a Behavioral Health Co-Responder Team, Airway Heights Police, and Kalispel Tribal Police, were advised the female was in an SUV, seemed paranoid, and had been saying nonsensical things.
When they arrived, they observed the SUV making a U-turn, pulling back into the driveway. Although Deputies activated their emergency lights to get her to stop, she took off, recklessly driving across the yard and toward the back of the property. Deputies followed, and they eventually positioned their patrol vehicles at the front and back of the SUV, preventing her from driving away.
In addition to attempts to get her to surrender peacefully, multiple use-of-force warnings were given, but all efforts to de-escalate were unsuccessful. Not knowing if she was armed and fearing, due to her erratic behavior, that she could be a danger to herself or others, Deputies deployed a UAS to obtain a clear live view of her and her movements as they continued efforts to coax her into following instructions.
During this time, the female was observed drinking from bottles that appeared to contain some type of disinfectant solution. Fearing for her safety, the Deputies/Officers devised a plan to approach safely and detain her. At the same time, the UAS operator monitored the live view, continually evaluating her behavior and whether she had armed herself with a weapon of any kind.
The team safely approached, broke the driver’s side window to unlock the door, and successfully took her into custody.
Uninjured, she was medically evaluated at the scene before being transported to the hospital for the additional medical attention she appeared to need desperately.
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