Welcome Trooper Atkinson home
By Terry Murry on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
News release from the Walla Walla Police Department
On September 22, 2022, near the area of Poplar and Gesa Bank, State Trooper Dean Atkinson was ambushed by an individual and shot multiple times. Trooper Atkinson had the strength, and fortitude, to drive himself to the hospital after sustaining multiple gunshots to his face and head.
Trooper Atkinson has battled through his injuries at Harborview Trauma Center in Seattle, Washington, where he went through several surgeries, and now, is eager to come home.
The Washington State Patrol, along with other local agencies, will be escorting Trooper
Atkinson home tomorrow (Sunday). We are asking the public to come out and stand on the sidewalks and give him a hero’s welcome back to Walla Walla.
The parade route will be as follows: The motorcade will exit off Highway 12 at Myra Road and follow Myra Road all the way down to Dalles Military Road. It will then turn left on Dalles Military Road and follow it down to the roundabout. The bottom of Dalles Military Road will be the end of the parade route. We are asking that people line up along the sidewalks that entire route on both sides.
We will have Fire ladder trucks placed on Myra near the wastewater treatment plant to
kick off the parade route as Trooper Atkinson comes into his hometown.
Please come out and show Trooper Atkinson why Walla Walla is so amazing. It is truly the people of Walla Walla that makes it so great!
The motorcade will be arriving at Walla Walla between the hours of 2:30pm and 3:30pm. We ask that you start lining the sidewalks at 2:30pm. Please do not park any vehicles in area’s other than approved parking locations along the route.
Photo of Trooper Atkinson’s tattoo contributed by his father, Dean Atkinson Sr.
