With everything else going on in the world, people might have missed a story that broke last week, only a few days before Christmas.
Less than a month after the assassination of four police officers in Lakewood, Washington, a new tragedy leaves another Pierce County community trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
If the situation isn't horrifying enough, there is also the detail that a sixteen year-old girl—the shooter's daughter—saved Sgt. Hausner's life, and perhaps brought about her own father's death. Sometimes you do what you have to. Is blood thicker than right and wrong? Not this time, it seems.
Some people dig their own graves. It would appear that David Crable, on every count, managed to do just that. But despite all that,
Eatonville bleeds, heart and soul. May this town, this county, this state, and all these shattered families find some semblance of peace in the days to come.
____________________
Notes:
"Deputy shot near Eatonville removed from life support, dead at 44". The Seattle Times. December 28, 2009. SeattleTimes.NWsource.com. December 29, 2009. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010618073_webmundell28m.html
Sullivan, Jennifer. "Daughter of gunman helped rescue policeman". The Seattle Times. December 24, 2009. SeattleTimes.NWsource.com. December 29, 2009. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010591525_shooting25m.html
Less than a month after the assassination of four police officers in Lakewood, Washington, a new tragedy leaves another Pierce County community trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
Pierce County sheriff's deputy Kent Mundell Jr. was removed from life support and died today at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
His death was announced by Sgt. Ed Troyer, Pierce County sheriff's spokesman, during a news conference outside the hospital. He said Mundell was taken off life support earlier today and died a short time later, at 5:04 p.m., with his wife by his side ....
.... A 10-year veteran of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Mundell, of the Spanaway area, leaves behind his wife, Lisa, and two children, 16 and 10 ....
.... 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 seven 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 he'd 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.
Hausner was shot as well and sent to Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis. He was released from the hospital on Thursday morning and spent a portion of that day visiting Mundell.
Law-enforcement personnel have been standing vigil all week at Harborview, a show of support for Deputy Mundell and his family.
Deputy Mundell is the sixth law-enforcement officer to be killed in the Puget Sound area in the past eight weeks.
(Seattle Times)
His death was announced by Sgt. Ed Troyer, Pierce County sheriff's spokesman, during a news conference outside the hospital. He said Mundell was taken off life support earlier today and died a short time later, at 5:04 p.m., with his wife by his side ....
.... A 10-year veteran of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Mundell, of the Spanaway area, leaves behind his wife, Lisa, and two children, 16 and 10 ....
.... 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 seven 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 he'd 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.
Hausner was shot as well and sent to Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis. He was released from the hospital on Thursday morning and spent a portion of that day visiting Mundell.
Law-enforcement personnel have been standing vigil all week at Harborview, a show of support for Deputy Mundell and his family.
Deputy Mundell is the sixth law-enforcement officer to be killed in the Puget Sound area in the past eight weeks.
(Seattle Times)
If the situation isn't horrifying enough, there is also the detail that a sixteen year-old girl—the shooter's daughter—saved Sgt. Hausner's life, and perhaps brought about her own father's death. Sometimes you do what you have to. Is blood thicker than right and wrong? Not this time, it seems.
Mundell was shot several times but managed to return fire, striking Crable, Troyer said. Hausner also was wounded in the gunfire.
Before the mortally wounded Crable could fire again, Bryona Crable "jumped on her dad and fought him for his gun," Troyer said.
"He went down and never got up again," said Troyer.
The girl then ran outside, summoned neighbors and dialed 911.
Jason Crable and his girlfriend protected Hausner by dragging him into another room, barring the door and administering first aid, while Bryona went for help.
"She's absolutely a hero, but she's also a victim. She witnessed her dad being shot," Troyer said. "She's had a bad life at her dad's hands. She saw her dad shoot two deputies and she stood up and did the right thing and tried to help our guys."
(Sullivan)
Before the mortally wounded Crable could fire again, Bryona Crable "jumped on her dad and fought him for his gun," Troyer said.
"He went down and never got up again," said Troyer.
The girl then ran outside, summoned neighbors and dialed 911.
Jason Crable and his girlfriend protected Hausner by dragging him into another room, barring the door and administering first aid, while Bryona went for help.
"She's absolutely a hero, but she's also a victim. She witnessed her dad being shot," Troyer said. "She's had a bad life at her dad's hands. She saw her dad shoot two deputies and she stood up and did the right thing and tried to help our guys."
(Sullivan)
Some people dig their own graves. It would appear that David Crable, on every count, managed to do just that. But despite all that,
On Wednesday, Bryona posted a note on her MySpace.com page that read, "R.I.P. Daddy, I love you."
(ibid)
(ibid)
Eatonville bleeds, heart and soul. May this town, this county, this state, and all these shattered families find some semblance of peace in the days to come.
____________________
Notes:
"Deputy shot near Eatonville removed from life support, dead at 44". The Seattle Times. December 28, 2009. SeattleTimes.NWsource.com. December 29, 2009. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010618073_webmundell28m.html
Sullivan, Jennifer. "Daughter of gunman helped rescue policeman". The Seattle Times. December 24, 2009. SeattleTimes.NWsource.com. December 29, 2009. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010591525_shooting25m.html