CHARLESTON, W.Va. — An incident in front of the Kanawha County Courthouse results in a man’s death and a disruption of the morning rush hour in downtown Charleston.
Sgt. Brian Humphreys of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department said a man shot himself just after 7 a.m. Friday while seated on a bench in front of the courthouse on busy Virginia Street downtown.
“Somebody in the Judicial Annex heard a gunshot and went outside finding this man sitting on a bench with an injury to his head. It was later determined it was a self inflicted gunshot wound. They found the pistol very near him,” he explained.
The victim was dead when deputies arrived to check on him. The area was blocked off as investigators secured the scene. Virginia Street and Court Street in downtown Charleston around the courthouse and Charleston City Hall were closed for a couple of hours as the investigation continued.
Humphreys said they are still trying to identify the victim and it’s unknown why he chose this location. The victim did not work in the courthouse or otherwise have ties to the building or the downtown area that investigators have found.
“I’m sure a lot of people had questions about what happened, but we don’t believe there was any real danger or ongoing danger to the public. But it is certainly alarming when you come down Virginia Street and see all the red and blue lights flashing,” said Humphreys.
The Kanawha County Commission issued the following statement in regard to the shooting:
“This morning shortly before the Kanawha County Courthouse opened, County employees discovered a deceased person on county property. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and Charleston Police Department immediately arrived on the scene. Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford has confirmed that the shooting was self-inflicted. Though the incident is not directly tied to the Kanawha County Courthouse, the Commission would like to express our deepest sympathy to the individual’s family. This is a tragic loss of life, and our prayers go to all involved.”