Elkins police officer found dead

ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY) — An Elkins Police Department officer is dead after he was found with an apparent gunshot wound off U.S. 33 east of Elkins Friday.

According to a Randolph County Sheriff’s Office press release, officers responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle on U.S. 33 near Eagles Nest Road around 11:36 a.m. The caller said the vehicle’s window appeared to have been shot out.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a victim with an “obvious gunshot wound,” later identified as an unnamed member of the Elkins Police Department.

12 News became aware of the situation on Friday afternoon and sent a team of reporters to the scene to investigate further. When the team arrived, they found a large police presence and several ambulances surrounding a limousine.

The team was unable to speak with members of the police force, but witnessed a procession of several Elkins police patrol cars and other emergency personnel escorting the ambulances to Davis Medical Center.

The press release did not provide any information about the circumstances of the officer’s death.

Numerous agencies and entities from across the region have pledged their support to the City of Elkins and the Elkins Police Department, including the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Buckhannon and the Parsons Police Department.