In Longview, Washington, on March 27, 2025, a 35-year-old male teacher named Eric Zander died from what authorities described as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The events leading to his death began to unfold when detectives from the Longview Police Department arrived at his residence in the 2400 block of Redwood Avenue. They were there to interview him regarding an ongoing investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct with a former student.
Zander, a teacher at
Monticello Middle School, had been placed on administrative leave on March 10, 2025, when the school district was first made aware of the allegations and the police investigation began. As detectives approached his home on that Thursday afternoon to speak with him, they heard a single gunshot from inside the house. This prompted a significant law enforcement response, with the Lower Columbia SWAT team being dispatched to the scene.
Upon their arrival, SWAT officers utilized a drone to assess the situation inside the home. Through this, they discovered Zander's body. The Cowlitz County Coroner's Office later formally identified the decedent as Eric Zander. Authorities reported that he was the sole occupant of the residence at the time of the incident. The investigation into the original allegations against Zander was still active at the time of his death. No arrests were made in connection with his death, and there are no suspects as it was determined to be a suicide.
