Everyone knows that law enforcement is a dangerous — and sometimes thankless — job. That message hit close to home early Monday morning on a rural Ironton road.

Two Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an alleged domestic call on Ben Howell Road. Upon arriving the officers were reportedly attacked by Alfred Robinson, 30, who was wielding a knife.

Both officers were stabbed before first Tasering and ultimately shooting and killing Robinson.

We may never know the full story that led to such a tragic ending, injuring two officers who were simply doing their job and costing the life of a man who had the rest of his life in front of him.

This situation should serve as a reminder of the service that our law enforcement officers do for us and how their lives are at risk on each and every call.

Too often we take these men and women for granted, or begrudge them for doing their jobs.

This also shows the need for an adequate staffing in the sheriff’s office and our county’s police departments. Even in tight budgetary times, our elected leaders must find a way to keep road officers as a top priority.

Imagine what could have happened if only one officer had responded to this call or didn’t have adequate backup.

An already tragic situation could have turned out even worse.

While we must wait until all the information about this particular situation comes out before passing judgment, the fact remains that this was a dangerous situation with a tragic ending.

Often times, law enforcement officers don’t get the respect they deserve. No one wants to see situations end like this. Without dedicated and brave officers, dangerous situations could escalate to something far worse.