(CNN)  -- Two sheriff's deputies responding to a domestic dispute between a pair of brothers Monday night were shot and badly injured in the same Washington county where four officers were killed last month, authorities said.





The Pierce County deputies were wounded while responding to a domestic violence incident at home near the town of Eatonville, south of Seattle, said Hunter George, a county spokesman. They killed the gunman, identified as David E. Crable, in an exchange of fire, authorities said.





Sgt. Nick Hausner, 43, a 20-year veteran of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, was transported to Madigan Army Medical Center where he was in serious condition, the department said. He is married and has children who are 14 and 12 years old.





Deputy Kent Mundell, 44, a nine-year veteran, was airlifted to the trauma center at Harborview Medical Center where he was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's department said. He also is married and has two children, a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old.





Pierce County prosecutor Mark Lindquist said Crable had a history of protection orders sought by family members.





Earlier this year, Crable pleaded guilty to malicious mischief and brandishing a knife in an incident involving his brother, Lindquist said, and protection orders were imposed afterward, telling him to stay away from his brother and a female minor.





Both counts were misdemeanors. Lindquist said Crable had no felony convictions.





The protective orders were not in effect during the Monday night shooting, Lindquist said.





The prosecutor said other protection orders that emerged were not the result of charges filed.





"They are a result of people saying this guy is a danger to me," Lindquist said. "I think you can reasonably infer from his history, he had an alcohol problem."





Crable went to his brother's house Monday night and there was a domestic dispute, said Sheriff's detective Ed Troyer.





One of the men invited the officers inside the house, while the other man went upstairs. He returned with a weapon and shot at the deputies, striking them several times, Troyer said.





Local coverage from CNN affiliate KIRO





The deputies returned fire, killing the alleged shooter, he said.





"There were a lot of rounds fired," Troyer said.





Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire issued a statement saying, "My thoughts and prayers are with the two wounded Pierce County deputies, their families, friends, and the entire law enforcement community."





This incident comes in the aftermath of two other recent cop shootings in the Seattle area. Since October 31, eight police officers or deputies have been shot. Five have died in the attacks.





On Halloween night, Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton was fatally shot while sitting in his patrol car. Brenton, 39, was reviewing paperwork from a traffic stop when someone fired into his patrol car. An officer Brenton was training was wounded in the shooting. A suspect in that case was arrested and pleaded not guilty.





On November 29, four officers from Lakewood, Washington, were killed in an ambush-style shooting at a coffee shop.





Police shot and killed the suspect in that attack after a two-day manhunt.





Troyer said it was "surreal" to be responding to another shooting that involved officers. His department has led the investigation into the shooting of the four Lakewood officers.





"I am deeply troubled by the recent series of attacks on our law enforcement officers," Gregoire said in the statement. "I ask that all Washington citizens join me in sending a clear message that these assaults on law enforcement officers will not be tolerated.





"The people of Washington and across America know that those who wear a badge show us the true meaning of service. They sacrifice their safety for ours. We owe them and their families our gratitude, respect and support."





CNN's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report
How many were killed last month in the same county? where did this happen How many sheriff's deputies were shot? Who were shot while responding to domestic violence incident? What were the deputies responding to? What did officials say happened to the suspected shooter?
four near the town of Eatonville, Two Two sheriff's deputies a domestic dispute killed
question: How many were killed last month in the same county?, answer: four | question: where did this happen, answer: near the town of Eatonville, | question: How many sheriff's deputies were shot?, answer: Two | question: Who were shot while responding to domestic violence incident?, answer: Two sheriff's deputies | question: What were the deputies responding to?, answer: a domestic dispute | question: What did officials say happened to the suspected shooter?, answer: killed