Officials said a deputy shot and killed the suspect minutes after new 911 calls.
PURDY, Wash. — Four people were stabbed to death in a neighborhood on Washington’s Key Peninsula on Feb. 24, and a sheriff’s deputy shot and killed the suspected attacker within minutes of arriving, authorities said. The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Aleksandr Shabilykin.
The violence began as deputies were responding to a call connected to a domestic violence protection order, then quickly escalated into a mass stabbing outside a home near Gig Harbor, about 30 miles southwest of Seattle. Investigators said they are now reviewing the actions taken that morning, the status of the protection order, and the deputy’s use of deadly force, while the medical examiner confirmed the identities of the dead.
According to authorities, the first call came in at about 8:40 a.m. reporting a possible order violation at a residence in the area. Deputies obtained paperwork tied to the case and determined the order had not been served on the suspect, officials said. Even so, deputies drove toward the home intending to serve the order and make contact, a step that would have put the document into effect.
At about 9:30 a.m., dispatchers began receiving new reports that people were being stabbed outside the home, authorities said. Officer Shelbie Boyd, speaking for the Pierce County Force Investigation Team, said the first deputy arrived within about three minutes of that stabbing report and shot the suspect. The suspect died at the scene, officials said, and the deputy’s actions were referred to the outside team for an independent review.
Authorities said three victims were found dead at the scene and a fourth victim died while being taken to the hospital. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as Joanne Brandani, 59; Louise Talley, 81; Stephanie Killilea, 67; and Zoya Shabilykina, 52. The medical examiner also identified the suspect as Shabilykin, and officials said the suspect was killed by the responding deputy.
Investigators did not immediately explain the relationship between the suspect and each victim, and officials said it was still being determined who lived at the home and which parts of the attack happened in the yard, street, or nearby areas. Witnesses described seeing at least one stabbing in public view and said neighbors tried to intervene before law enforcement arrived. Authorities said they were collecting witness statements and checking for security video that might capture movements in the minutes before and after the first deputy reached the cul-de-sac.
Court records from Pierce County show the suspect’s mother had sought protection from her son in earlier years and again in 2025, writing that she believed he was in crisis and that she feared he would hurt her. In the petition that led to a one-year protection order granted in May 2025, she cited mental health and substance abuse issues and described threats and aggressive behavior. The order required the son to stay away, avoid weapons, and follow a treatment plan that included medication, records show.
Authorities said the order had not been served by the time deputies were sent to the home on Feb. 24. Investigators said they are reviewing the service process and what attempts were made to locate the suspect before that day. In Washington state, people who receive protection orders are typically served in person by law enforcement or a process server, and the order generally cannot be enforced until service is completed, officials said in describing how the paperwork functions.
Relatives told local media they saw behavior changes shortly before the attack. Robert Knowles, the boyfriend of the suspect’s sister, said the family noticed warning signs on the evening of Mon., Feb. 23, and tried to involve police in Orting. Knowles said the suspect left quickly and later went to his mother’s home, where the next morning’s initial call was placed. He said the family believed the suspect had stopped taking prescribed medication.
The neighborhood response was immediate once shots were fired, residents said. Chris Cardenas, who lives nearby, said he was outside when he heard gunfire echo through the trees, followed by sirens that continued for a long stretch. Witnesses described looking out windows and seeing emergency vehicles and deputies moving quickly through the area as the scene was secured and ambulances staged along the road.
The Pierce County Force Investigation Team said it will continue interviewing witnesses, reviewing video, and examining physical evidence to determine the sequence of events and assess the deputy’s actions under state law and department policy. Authorities said additional information would be released as reports are completed and as investigators are able to confirm details without compromising interviews.
As of March 2, authorities said the case remained under investigation, with a final review of the deputy-involved shooting and a fuller accounting of the Feb. 24 timeline still pending.
Author note: Last updated March 2, 2026.