The Rice County Sheriff’s Department is dealing with staffing issues after its two highest ranking officials were shot.

Rice County Sheriff Bryant Evans and Undersherriff Chad Murphy were shot and wounded Monday in separate incidents with the same suspect.

Officials say after Evans and Murphy were shot, two other deputies were pulled from duty to complete paperwork dealing with the incident leaving only two deputies to cover the entire county.

Rice County officials say Sedgwick, Reno, Barton, Stafford and Pawnee counties have offered assistance by lending deputies to help patrol the area.