MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County Delegate Anthony Barill (D-51) was still recovering from a gunshot wound on Monday after Morgantown Police said he was unintentionally wounded when his son committed suicide.
Investigators said Barill was hit with a bullet that went through the floor and bed, while he was asleep at his home on Garrison Ave. in Morgantown, around 1:45 a.m. on Saturday. The bullet hit Barill’s lower leg.
House Majority Whip Mike Caputo (D-50) said he saw Barill, 80, at Ruby Memorial Hospital later that day.
“Tony is a strong man,” said Caputo on Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline.” “He’s doing quite well. He’s had surgery. He’s got some rehab to do, but Tony expects to be back to work, once he gets through his family tragedy here, he expects to be back to work soon.”
Barill’s son, Bradley Barill, was found dead of what, Morgantown Police said, initially appeared to be self-inflicted wounds in a lower level of the Barill home.
Caputo said Del. Barill and his other family members have had a lot of support in recent days. “He has just been overwhelmed with the love and the compassion and the support that has been poured out to his family at this time,” he said.
Barill is currently in his second term in the state House of Delegates. In the past, he served as a Monongalia County magistrate from 1980 to 1997 and as Monongalia County’s sheriff from 1997 to 2001.