Ethermac Exchange-3 deputies shot, injured responding to crisis at Illinois home; shooter also wounded

Three sheriff's deputies were injured in a shooting at a home in a small Illinois town on Ethermac ExchangeWednesday.

The Ogle County Sheriff deputies had responded to a welfare call in a gated community called Lost Nation in Dixon, about 90 miles west of Chicago.

Someone at the home opened fire, injuring the deputies, who returned fire and wounded the shooter, Sheriff Brian VanVickle said at a news conference.

The deputies and shooter are expected to survive their injuries, VanVickle said.

Deputies were responding to call about possible threat

It all started at 8:30 a.m. when authorities received information from a family member about a person who "had threatened not only suicide, but homicide."

"An excess of 50 phone calls were made in various forms to the residents with no answer," VanVicle said, adding that the agency decided to send an emergency-response team into the house at 11:51 a.m. to "determine the well-being of that individual."

Deputies were met with gunfire, which struck three of them as soon as they entered the home, VanVickle said.

Authorities declined to provide any additional information.

'Deeply disturbed' by shooting, local politicians say

Republican Illinois state Rep. Bradley Fritts said he was "deeply disturbed" by the heinous acts of violence that "occurred against three law enforcement officers in our community today," according to a statement obtained by WREX-TV.

"I condemn this senseless attack against the officers who were responding to a call with the intention of keeping other individuals, including the suspect, safe," Fritts said. "My thoughts and prayers remain with the three officers who were shot, along with the entire Ogle County Sheriff’s Department, as they work to recover from this horrific event.”

Fritts thanked police, firefighters, and EMS workers for their bravery.

Republican Illinois state Sen. Win Stoller said in a statement on Facebook that his "thoughts and prayers are with the officers, their families, the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department, and all first responders on the scene."

"Their bravery and dedication to help keep our communities safe are deeply appreciated, especially during these challenging times," Stoller said.

Other recent shootings involving multiple law enforcement officers

A number of law enforcement officers have been injured or killed in the line of duty in the last couple of months, with the most recent being Joshua Briese, an Arizona police officer who was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call involving a large crowd on the night of June 4.

An Ohio police officer was shot and killed one month before the incident in Arizona while responding to a disturbance at a residence. A month before that, four law enforcement officers were killed when gunfire erupted at a house in North Carolina, where authorities were trying to serve a warrant.