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Ritchie County shooting leads to Wood County manhunt

Suspect arrested in Wood County

PARKERSBURG — A shooting in Ritchie County led to a manhunt on Friday for the suspect in Wood County and an arrest.

The Wood County Sheriff’s Department was called to aid the West Virginia State Police and Ritchie County Sheriff’s Department after a suspect in a shooting was believed to have fled into Wood County.

Wood County Sheriff Steve Stephens said a BOLO was issued on the suspect and vehicle around 10 a.m. and officers began searching the areas around Walker and Mountwood Park.

“During that time we got information the State Police had seen the car near the Walker Post Office, but we didn’t know where it went after that,” Stephens said. “We were hitting the side roads and checking farms for this purple-colored Blazer.”

The vehicle was discovered near Progress Ridge Road but was unoccupied. Stephens said units from state Natural Resources Police, Parkersburg Police Department and Drug Task Force were involved.

“Everyone converged on the area,” Stephens said. “We had a K-9 that went up into the woods searching and had a trail for a while before losing it. We had probably 25 officers along Route 50 looking into the woods for any movement.”

Several sightings were reported in the Dallison area, but when checked were not the suspect being sought. Helicopters from the state police and the National Guard were brought in to search the area.

“The individual was spotted via helicopter,” Stephens said. “They directed in units and he was apprehended without incident. There was a weapon located near his person when he was a arrested.”

Stephens did not have additional details, saying the arrest and investigation are being handled by State Police.

Additional information was unavailable Friday.

“It was pretty impressive seeing all the law enforcement that was involved and everybody working together,” he said.

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