Story by Chris Lawrence
MALDEN, W.Va. — A man wanted on felony charges involving drugs and firearms is dead after he refused to comply with law enforcement.
The individual, whose name has not been released, fled a home in Malden Tuesday evening when Charleston Police and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department arrived to execute a warrant for his arrest.
“There were warrants out of circuit court for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and felony possession with intent to distribute narcotics,” said Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Joe Crawford.
The charges were developed after a long investigation by members of the Charleston Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit. They went to the home early in the evening to see if the subject was at home and found him there. Armed with the arrest warrants city police along with members of the Sheriff’s Department knocked on the door. The wanted individual fled out the back of the house and into a wooded area nearby armed with a gun.
Crawford said officers and deputies were able to corner him behind an old garage in the woods where he refused to obey commands to throw down the gun and come out.
“Officers on scene did a good job trying to de-escalate and talk him down but they weren’t able to do that. There were several comments made by the individual and he was suicidal as well,” he explained.
The suspect refused repeated commends to drop the gun while pointing it at his own head. When he pointed the gun in a threatening manner toward law enforcement, they acted.
“Officers on scene were still giving him verbal commands to drop the weapon and come out and he did not. They subsequently ended up discharging several rounds and killing the suspect,” he said.
The investigation into the incident continues and body camera footage from the officers is being reviewed.