Suspect assaults deputy in office, kills self

By Bill Archer

WELCH — A McDowell County suspect who was being processed following his arrest Sunday morning on two unrelated crimes, violently attacked the deputy who was completing his intake arrest form, took the deputy’s weapon and committed suicide, according to the lead investigator with the State Police who is investigating the incident.

Kevin Shirley, 29, of Roderfield died at about 6:40 a.m., Sunday morning as a result of a self-inflected gunshot wound, according to Sgt. W.C. Tupper, co-commander of the Welch Detachment of the West Virginia State Police.

“Deputy Michael Pertee was processing the suspect in the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department in Welch when the suspect obtained a metal pole, struck Deputy Pertee in the face, grabbed Deputy Pertee’s pistol and committed suicide,” Tupper said. “Deputy Pertee suffered facial fractures and lacerations. He was transported to a hospital, treated and later released pending future medical attention.”

Tupper said that Pertee and Senior Trooper K.L. Pack of the Welch Detachment of the West Virginia State Police were investigating two separate incidents in the Roderfield area — a burglary and discharging a weapon within 500 feet of a residence — when they realized they may be looking for the same suspect in both alleged crimes.

“They went to Mr. Shirley’s residence, talked to him, recovered some property that was believed to have been taken during the burglary and placed him under arrest,” Tupper said. Pertee and Pack transported Shirley to the McDowell Sheriff’s Department. Pack then left to return to the Welch detachment.

“We had arrested Mr. Shirley before, and he had been cooperative,” Tupper said. He characterized Pertee as “a good deputy who also works for the Welch Police Department.” As of late Sunday evening, Tupper had not been able to interview Pertee because of his injuries.

“This is an on-going investigation,” Tupper said.

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

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