UPDATE: Rice County undersheriff released from hospital

Rice County Undersheriff Chad Murphy is released from a Wichita hospital, four days after being shot in the line of duty.

Murphy was released from Wesley Medical Center Friday afternoon and received an escort home to Rice County.

Sheriff Bryant Evans was also wounded by the same shooter.

Before either can return to work, they have to be cleared by a doctor.

In the meantime, other agencies are offering resources to the county at this time.

-----

As Rice County Sheriff Bryant Evans and Undersheriff Chad Murphy

, their community tries to help as it, too begins to heal.

The Lyons school district stepped up, offering an open invitation for first responders including members of the Lyons Police Department and the Rice County Sheriff's Office to eat lunch at any of its schools.

Lyons Middle School counselor Anna Cannon called USD 405 Superintendent Bill Day with her idea to extend the lunch invitation. He was all for it.

Day says such a gesture isn't uncommon for the district, but the invitation was especially important Tuesday considering everything that unfolded Monday with two prominent members of the community injured and more involved in the effort to end the potential threat that followed.

Cannon says the Rice County Sheriff's Office, including Evans and Murphy have been solid supporters of the school district and its students.

"I mean, they've even been in my office to work with kids and they've come to lunch to be with kids, so what a better way to honor them than with lunch," she says.

Also stepping up for her community is Alicia Showalter. Monday, she was the Rice County clerk. Twenty-four hours later, she's the acting sheriff with Evans and Murphy out with their injuries.

Showalter says she was sickened to hear that Evans and Murphy were shot and was concerned for their families. Tuesday, she says her adrenaline was heavy, but she's grateful for help coming in from other agencies. She knows the Rice County community will be okay.

"it's scary. And it kind of put everybody in a panic mode. It's quite scary, quite scary, but we will get through it, a step at a time," she says.