Spokane deputy suffered ‘significant amount of blood loss’ after being stabbed, is recovering in hospital

A Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputy lost a significant amount of blood when he was stabbed in the neck, but is “doing well” following surgery, the office said in a news release.

Court records identified Nicholas Kauffman, 37, as the deputy who was injured Thursday evening while responding to a call about a woman acting erratically in the area south of Deer Park.

Kauffman and another deputy tried approaching the woman, later identified as 32-year-old Gloria Endress (also known as Engel W. Immer) who is “known to carry pepper spray.” She continued to walk down North Dalton Road and ignored their commands to stop and show her hands, court records said.

At some point a decision was made for the other deputy to get in his car and follow Endress while Kauffman continued to follow her on foot.

Endress approached the driver of a white Ford truck and asked for a ride, court records said. Kauffman realized she had a weapon, so he grabbed her and gave her commands to drop it when she spun around, pepper-sprayed him and stabbed him in the area of his clavicle, according to court records. In the documents, it appears Kauffman continued to give her commands after he was injured – a witness reported seeing both deputies deploy their tasers after the confrontation.

Kauffman was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, court records say.

Endress was arrested on suspicion of first- and second-degree assault. During her first appearance in court Friday, Endress was supervised by three deputies who kept her restrained to a chair since she was not complying before her hearing.

Endress’ bond was set at $250,000 after prosecutors argued the injury was “inches away from being fatal.”

Kauffman began his career with the sheriff’s office in 2019, according to The Spokesman-Review’s records. A Facebook post by the sheriff’s office indicates Kauffman is a Pennsylvania native who holds a doctorate and previously taught classes at Gonzaga University.

He will be spending time with his family as he recovers, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

“We thank you all for your good wishes, prayers, and messages of support for the Deputy, his family/friends, and all of us,” the release said.