CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Deputy Zackari Parrish was killed when a suspect opened fire on deputies at an apartment complex during a noise-related call early Sunday morning, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said.
Parrish is survived by his wife and two young children.
“Zackari was a good kid. A smiley kid. You’d go up and down the hall and see his face. He loved to serve,” Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said.
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“His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had.”
About 5:15 a.m., deputies responded the Copper Canyon Apartments complex at 3404 E. County Line Road in Highlands Ranch, between Colorado and University boulevards.
A gunman opened fire, hitting four deputies and two civilians. Parrish was confirmed dead and the six others were taken to hospitals, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said the suspect knew law enforcement was coming and began firing when they arrived.
The deputies who were injured crawled to safety, but could not pull Parrish out of the way. Parrish was hit multiple times, the sheriff’s office said.
Parrish was with the sheriff’s office for seven months. He previously was with the Castle Rock Police Department.