Man killed by deputy after attack on worker

A machete-wielding Curlew man attacked a state child protective worker Wednesday morning before being shot to death by a deputy sheriff.

The Ferry County deputy, whose name has not yet been released, shot 35-year-old Bryan S. Russell multiple times after he forced a Child Protective Services worker to the ground and attacked her with a machete and a two-by-four, police said. Russell died at the scene.

Because of concerns about violence, the deputy accompanied two CPS workers to the remote mountain home six miles northeast of Curlew at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The agency had received several calls concerning the family, including a recent report of child neglect. Russell lived with his wife and three children – all under age 5 – in two buses. The buses did not have electricity or running water, according to law enforcement.

In response to a report of child neglect, the social workers contacted Russell at home. As social workers stood outside, Russell retrieved a machete and began attacking state social worker Edith Vance, according to state sources. The Washington State Patrol, which is handling the investigation, said it is unclear what led to the attack.

“We do know that they were outside when the event happened,” said Trooper Jim Hays, a WSP spokesman. “Mr. Russell attacked one of the CPS workers with a machete. He did not respond to orders from the officer.”

Ferry County Sheriff Pete Warner said the deputy shot Russell multiple times as the man’s children watched.

“At that point in time, (Russell) was beating her with the machete,” Warner said. “The officer then pulled his duty weapon and basically saved the life of the CPS worker.”

Warner said Russell had a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for assault, drug possession and failure to appear for a required court appearance.

The assault represents one of the most brazen attacks on a social worker in the agency’s history, state officials said.

“Social workers often get threats, but I have never heard of a similar attack or one resulting in such serious injuries,” said Kathy Spears, a CPS spokeswoman.

The attack also highlights the dangers state employees face on a daily basis, state officials said.

In 2002, a state Department of Licensing employee was ambushed and shot near Davenport, Wash., after he went to audit the books of long-haul trucker Ralph H. Benson.

Benson died last fall in Monroe State Reformatory, where he was serving a 32-year prison sentence for the murder of Roger Erdman, of Spokane.

Vance, a social worker who has been with the agency since 1991, was treated at a local hospital for a concussion, multiple lacerations on her arms and shoulders, a broken wrist and a possible skull fracture.

Former co-workers said Vance had once supervised the agency’s Colville office.

“She’s top-notch,” said Jim Perkins, a former state worker. “She really cares about the little people.”

The second social worker was not injured in the attack but will be granted administrative leave to recover from the incident, according to a state official.

Ferry County deputies frequently accompany social workers to remote homes in the region, said Tim Abbey, a CPS administrator in Region 1.

“If there’s a concern, it’s not uncommon for us to ask law enforcement to come along,” Abbey said.

The deputy has been placed on administrative leave until an investigation into the shooting is completed.

The children are now in CPS custody, Warner added. A CPS spokeswoman in Olympia said the children witnessed the attack and the shooting. The children are receiving trauma and grief counseling.

“This is a tragic situation for everyone involved,” said Uma Ahluwalia, assistant secretary for the state Children’s Administration.

“It is an unfortunate example of the daily dangers facing social workers as they perform extremely difficult jobs trying to keep children safe and families functional.”