On a Friday morning in October 1978, Pierce County Deputy Ken Moran was sitting inside a local fire station, visiting with his friends from the fire department while completing his final report.
Then, a call came over the radio.
An armed bank robbery had just occurred nearby in Parkland, and a Washington State Patrol trooper had spotted the suspects’ fleeing vehicle. As Deputy Moran rushed to his patrol car, another radio update came through: the suspects were firing shots at the trooper.
The suspects abandoned their vehicle in a church parking lot, fled across a pasture, and ran into a nearby residential neighborhood.
When Deputy Moran arrived, the suspects began firing multiple rounds toward him and the surrounding homes. As the gunfire continued, a woman stepped out of her home and began walking toward Deputy Moran, despite his repeated commands for her to stop and get down.
Knowing she was in danger, Deputy Moran made the courageous decision to leave his position of cover and run toward her, placing himself between the innocent woman and the gunfire.
Deputy Moran was struck by a gunshot. He was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Eight suspects were ultimately convicted of murder and robbery charges.
Deputy Ken Moran was the first Pierce County Sheriff’s deputy killed in the line of duty. He was just 30 years old, a Vietnam War veteran, a husband, and a father to two young sons. He had served as a deputy sheriff for only two years.
His loss left a lasting impact on the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, our deputies, and their families. But Deputy Moran’s legacy did not end that October morning.
In the years following his death, the Ken Moran Scholarship Fund was established in his memory to support the families and futures of those who serve our community. That fund has since grown and evolved into the Pierce County Sheriffs Memorial Scholarship Fund, a lasting tribute that continues the legacy of service and sacrifice represented by Deputy Moran and others who have given their lives in the line of duty.
Today, we remember Deputy Ken Moran, not only for the way he gave his life protecting others, but for the legacy he left behind.
We remember his courage. We honor his sacrifice. And we will never forget.