GERRARDSTOWN, W.Va.– Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department deputies were involved in a shooting Monday that left a 62-year-old man dead.
Authorities responded to the small farm off state Route 45 shortly before 7:30 p.m. after the property owners said the man threatened to commit suicide.
The suspect was shot after he approached officers who were stationed outside of his mobile home with a gun, according to Berkeley County Sheriff Curtis Keller.
Keller said the suspect stopped and fired a shot at officers when told to drop the weapon.
“The main problem was with this is that he wasn’t responding back and when you have someone who isn’t responding back you get concerned about what the outcome is going to be,” the Keller said.
Two deputies have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the deadly shooting. The man had been living in a mobile home on the family farm for about 12 years and worked as a handyman, Keller said.
Authorities did not name the man during a Tuesday news conference.