Clendenin man killed following officer-involved shooting

CLENDENIN, W.Va. — Kanawha County deputies say a man is dead following an officer-involved shooting in Clendenin.

A 911 call came in around 6 a.m. Saturday. Residents along the 3100 block of Leatherwood Road reported someone shooting their residence twice with a shotgun, then leaving. A deputy was late getting to the scene and did not arrive until hours later, according to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.

Russell Elswick, 56, of Clendenin, was the shooter, deputies said.

When other deputies arrived to the scene, they attempted to talk to Elswick through a window on his barn door, but he refused to come outside.

Hours after the standoff started, at around 1 p.m., deputies say they opened the door’s window and Elswick was standing behind a barricade with a shotgun.

Elswick allegedly pointed his shotgun at deputies and threatened them verbally, according to a press release. He was then shot and died at the scene.

In 2013, Elswick was charged with making terroristic threats and having a deadly weapon on school property at Herbert Hoover High School.

Deputies said Elswick was prohibited by law from possessing firearms and had an active capias warrant from recently missing a court date.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.





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