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Wash. state officer wounded in ambush dies

Authorities in Washington state say one of two officers shot in an ambush by a drunken man has died after being taken off life support.
Image: Officers pay respects to fellow officer Kent Mundell
Various law enforcement representatives salute as the body of Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Kent Mundell Jr. in a flag-draped coffin is moved through the tunnel that connects Harborview Medical Center to the King County medical examiner's office, on Monday.Cliff DesPeaux / Seattle Times via AP
/ Source: The Associated Press

Authorities in Washington state say one of two officers shot in an ambush by a drunken man has died after being taken off life support.

Detective Ed Troyer says Pierce County sheriff's deputy Kent Mundell died Monday evening with his family by his side.

Mundell suffered life-threatening injuries in the Dec. 21 shooting.

The shootings of Mundell and Sgt. Nick Hausner marked the third time in less than eight weeks that police in the state had been shot in the line of duty. Hausner was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve.

Mundell's death was the sixth fatal shooting of a police officer in the state since Oct. 31.

Police say 35-year-old David E. Crable shot the two officers before he was killed in the subsequent shoot-out. The officers had gone to the home of Crable's brother near Eatonville after family members called to have an intoxicated Crable removed.

Troyer says Crable had a history of domestic violence.