Suspect Accused of Shooting W.Va. Trooper Killed after Manhunt

July 18, 2023
A West Virginia State Police trooper was shot and wounded when an Ohio man opened fire during a traffic stop near Mabscott and then fled the scene before authorities caught up with him in the Coal City area.

A gunman wanted in the shooting of a West Virginia State Police trooper was fatally shot following a manhunt Monday.

Scott O'Brien, of Hamilton, Ohio, allegedly opened fire on a trooper just after 9:15 a.m. during a traffic stop on Interstate 77 near Mabscott, WSAZ-TV reports. The trooper was struck on the elbow, and O'Brien fled the scene in his white Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Multiple law enforcement agencies throughout Raleigh County, led by the West Virginia State Police, began a search for O'Brien, and his vehicle was found abandoned in the Coal City area. O'Brien then was spotted running from a wooded area near a church at about 7 p.m.

Authorities ordered the still-armed O'Brien to drop his weapon. When he didn't obey the order, he was shot and killed by police.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

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