Sheriff's Deputy Kent Mundell Jr., Shot by David E. Crable Near Eatonville Wa., Dies After Being Removed from Life Support

Pierce County sheriff's deputy Kent Mundell Jr., died Monday, shortly after being removed from life support at a Seattle hospital. He was removed from life support after his family was reportedly told that he would not recover from his injuries sustained when he was shot by David E. Crable, while responding to a domestic-violence call Dec. 21 outside Eatonville. According to Sgt. Ed Troyer,  the 10-year veteran of the force, leaves behind his wife, Lisa, and two children, 16 and 10. This is a tremendous loss and once again another police officer has lost his life at the hands of a career criminal who should not have been out on the streets.

Deputy Mundell was shot multiple times after he and his partner, Sgt. Nick Hausner, 43, responded to a call to remove an "unwanted guest" from a house near Tanwax Lake, about 7 miles north of Eatonville and about 18 miles south of Puyallup. Jason Crable had wanted his brother, David E. Crable, who was drunk, removed from the home. When the deputies arrived, Jason Crable invited them in. They talked with David Crable, who seemed cooperative, and he agreed to leave the home with the deputies, according to sheriff's officials. But before they left, David Crable suddenly pulled a gun concealed under his arm and started shooting.

Deputy Mundell returned fire and killed David Crable, but not before the deputy himself was critically injured, the sheriff's officials said. Deputy Mundell was flown to Harborview Medical Center. Law-enforcement personnel from numerous departments have been standing vigil all week at Harborview, a show of support for Deputy Mundell and his family. Source: Seattle Times

It is appalling that Deputy Mundell is the sixth law-enforcement officer to be killed in Washington state in the past eight weeks. Maurice Clemmons shot and killed four officers -- Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold, Ronald Owens and Gregory Richards — on the morning of Nov. 29 at Forze coffee shop in Parkland. Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton was fatally shot October 31, while he sat in his patrol car with his partner, who was injured.

Photo credit: Officer Kent Mundell Jr., Seattle Times