Community still in shock after triple murder

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — An investigation continues in the the shooting deaths of three residents in Morgan County.  Deputies on Tuesday used a search warrant to enter the property of suspected gunman Erick Shute.

Sheriff Vince Shambaugh tells MetroNews authorities confiscated several cell phones, computers, and two weapons from Shute’s

Erick Shute

Great Cacapon home.  One gun was a bolt action rifle the other a .223 caliber rifle often referred to as a “bullpup”.  Authorities suspect it was the rifle used in the shootings of Jack Douglas and Travis and William Bartley.  The three men were shot and killed Monday evening as they worked to clear brush along a rural road near the property line with Shute.

Shute is being held in a Pennsylvania jail awaiting extradition back to West Virginia.

Meanwhile, the small, tight knit county remains in shock.

“When we first got the news it pretty much put everybody on lock-down which doesn’t happen very often around here,” said Morgan County Commission President Brad Close. “It was a tough evening, there were a lot of people around here living in fear.”

Morgan County, population 18,000, rarely has incidents like Monday’s triple homicide. Close said that’s the way they like it which such an event is the exception and not the norm.

“This county is a wonderful place, I was born and raised here and I’m raising my family here,” he said. “If I felt any different about it I certainly wouldn’t be here.”

Shute is self proclaimed “sovereign citizen” a movement in which members refuse to acknowledge the authority of any local, state, or national government.  Apparently Morgan County is the home of several members of the movement according to Close.

“We do have quite a few of those citizens who don’t recognize law enforcement or the local government for what it is, or the state or federal for that matter,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but at the same time we are very careful to understand who and what they are and to understand public safety is a top priority.”

Close said now that Shute’s case has become the main stream of conversation, many in the county are trying to learn more about the sovereign citizen movement and what they are doing and claiming.  Close said for the most part, they are reclusive and very private.
“Until they break the law, they are free to do as they so choose,” said Close. “In essence they are not directly insubordinate if you will.  They just want to live on their own, on their own property to fence in their property and wait for the end of times in most cases.”





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