03-13-2011, 06:44 PM
WCYB.com
UPDATE: We have more information out of Buchanan County, Virginia. The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department says four of their deputies have been shot this afternoon. Our NBC affiliate in Bluefield is reporting one of the officers has died. Details are still very limited at this point.
Here are the facts we have confirmed. The shooting happened near Grundy in the Devils Branch area about 3 p.m. Officers are searching for a suspect. They are near the intersection of State Routes 620 and 83. Emergency dispatchers say a man began shooting at deputies with a rifle from a mountainous area. It's unclear exactly why the officers were at the location where the shooting started.
Officers from several different Southwest Virginia departments are actively searching for the suspect at this time. Virginia State Police is also on the scene. At this point, we don't have a specific description of the suspect. The conditions of the other deputies are not known at this time.
edit to add: 2 deputies have died. :(
the suspect has now been killed.
UPDATES 3/14:
VSP says investigation is ongoing and facts are still coming in.
Shooter identified by VSP as Randy Newberry, 52, from Vansant. Motive still being investigated.
Sheriff says one injured deputy, Shane Charles, is on respirator. "Doing the best he can."
Other injured deputy, Rick Rasnic, was shot 3 times and is recovering in ICU.
The two deputies who lost their lives yesterday were Neil Justice and Billy Stiltner.
AP photos
UPDATE: We have more information out of Buchanan County, Virginia. The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department says four of their deputies have been shot this afternoon. Our NBC affiliate in Bluefield is reporting one of the officers has died. Details are still very limited at this point.
Here are the facts we have confirmed. The shooting happened near Grundy in the Devils Branch area about 3 p.m. Officers are searching for a suspect. They are near the intersection of State Routes 620 and 83. Emergency dispatchers say a man began shooting at deputies with a rifle from a mountainous area. It's unclear exactly why the officers were at the location where the shooting started.
Officers from several different Southwest Virginia departments are actively searching for the suspect at this time. Virginia State Police is also on the scene. At this point, we don't have a specific description of the suspect. The conditions of the other deputies are not known at this time.
edit to add: 2 deputies have died. :(
the suspect has now been killed.
UPDATES 3/14:
VSP says investigation is ongoing and facts are still coming in.
Shooter identified by VSP as Randy Newberry, 52, from Vansant. Motive still being investigated.
Sheriff says one injured deputy, Shane Charles, is on respirator. "Doing the best he can."
Other injured deputy, Rick Rasnic, was shot 3 times and is recovering in ICU.
The two deputies who lost their lives yesterday were Neil Justice and Billy Stiltner.
AP photos