Memorial for slain Pierce County deputy underway

PARKLAND — A memorial for slain Pierce County deputy Dominique “Dom” Calata was underway Friday in Tacoma.

Calata, 35, was shot and killed last week during a SWAT operation in which law enforcement Sgt. Rich Scaniffe was shot and wounded.

A procession began Friday morning at the Washington State Fairgrounds, following a route that concluded at the Church for All Nations in Parkland. A memorial service started around 1 p.m. at the church.

The South Sound Gang Task Force was serving a warrant March 16 for second-degree assault for Jeremy Dayton, 40. The task force had asked for help from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department’s SWAT team due to Dayton’s prior felony convictions, according to Wendy Haddow, a spokesperson for the Tacoma Police Department, which is assisting with the investigation.

During the operation, gunfire was exchanged between Dayton and law enforcement, Haddow said. Calata and Scaniffe were shot. Dayton was killed at the scene.

Calata worked for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for more than six years and was assigned to the patrol division of the Edgewood Police Department. He was also a U.S. Army Veteran and served in the National Guard for the past seven years.

Calata was married and had a 4-year-old child.