Deputy who shot at alleged carjacking suspect, killer identified

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office named the deputy who shot at a man accused of killing two other men during an interstate crime spree last weekend.

Deputy Kyle Felix shot at 43-year-old Ryan Tietsort Sunday near Trent Avenue and Pines Road in Spokane Valley, according to a sheriff’s office news release. Tietsort died at the scene.

Felix joined the sheriff’s office in November 2023 after serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, the release said.

A Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team news release Friday indicated “the involved agencies” in the shooting “may release the names of the involved personnel as appropriate.” It’s unclear whether other law enforcement officers fired their weapons.

Tietsort carjacked a Dodge Challenger Sunday morning on East Sprague Avenue in Spokane Valley before driving away at “incredibly dangerous speeds” on Interstate 90 into Idaho, according to a Spokane Independent Investigative Response Team news release Friday.

In Kootenai County, Tietsort struck a motorcyclist, Richard Embree, who was taken to the hospital and died a few days later, according to authorities. Tietsort also shot and killed Gary Hill, who tried helping a victim of Tietsort’s other carjacking in Idaho.

Now driving another stolen vehicle, Tietsort drove back into Spokane County, investigators said. The suspect carjacked a third vehicle, a gray truck, in the area of Wellesley Avenue and McKinzie Road, the SIIR release said.

Tietsort was reportedly firing a gun, but it is unclear at who m he was shooting, and no injuries were reported from the incident, according to investigators. Deputies located the suspect on Trent Avenue heading west.

Law enforcement attempted to disable Tietsort’s stolen vehicle by deploying spike strips, police said. Despite having one tire disabled, Tietsort continued driving at speeds estimated at over 100 mph.

As Tietsort slowed down, he was reportedly waving a gun outside the window and firing the weapon, according to investigators. Tietsort continued traveling west, approaching the intersection of Trent and Pines, where Washington State Patrol troopers placed spike strips.

Tietsort, continuing to drive at high speeds, struck another motorist in the intersection before colliding with one of the WSP vehicles that was parked at the intersection.

Tietsort got out of the car and ran to the disabled WSP patrol vehicle, taking cover behind it and reportedly still firing his weapon when law enforcement returned fire, police said.

The Spokane Police Department is investigating the shooting. The case will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for review after the police’s investigation is done.