MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — An officer involved shooting leaves a suspect dead in Hardy County.
Sheriff Steven Dawson confirmed Hayden Hart, 20, of Wardensville, West Virginia was pulled over Monday by a Hardy County deputy. There were outstanding warrants for Hart out of Hampshire County for charges of kidnapping and wanton endangerment. When the deputy went to arrest Hart, he produced a gun and opened fire on the deputy. According to the Sheriff, the deputy returned fire and wounded Hart who managed to get back in his vehicle and flee the scene. The deputy was not injured.
The pursuit headed into the Monongahela National Forest on Waites Run and Hart was able to elude pursuing law enforcement.
Warrants for attempted murder on a law enforcement officer were issued for Hart and a manhunt was launched in the area involving deputies from the Hardy and Hampshire County Sheriff’s Departments, West Virginia State Police, and the DNR’s Natural Resources Police.
Hart was located around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at a home he had broken into on Waites Run. A Hardy County deputy, a Hampshire County Deputy, and a Natural Resources Police Officer were in the area and moved in to arrest Hart. He fired on those officers as well. They returned fire a fatally wounded him.
An investigation is underway. No officers were injured in the incident.