Sheriff's Deputy Attacked In Her Home In Retaliation Attack?

A female deputy in Upshur County (WV) was the apparent target of an attack that saw projectiles fired into her car and home late Saturday evening, including a bullet that miraculously penetrated the walls of her home and were trapped in her child’s clothes, without causing physical injury.

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A child was narrowly missed by at least one of several bullets fired late Saturday into the Diana home of an Upshur County sheriff’s deputy, an event the sheriff described Monday as an “attack” on his office and the community of Diana.

Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb is seeking the public’s help to identify whomever fired at his deputy’s home, her personal vehicle and patrol car. He put the bullet-riddled patrol vehicle on display during a news conference outside the sheriff’s office Monday afternoon.

“Due to the amount of damage done to the patrol car, investigators are looking into the likelihood of a retaliation motive on the part of the persons having recent interaction with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office or one of its deputies,” Webb said.

What he referred to as a “deadly conduct incident” occurred at 11 p.m. Saturday, and Webb said it was the first of its nature targeting the sheriff’s office.

He declined to identify the deputy or the caliber, number of rounds fired and suspected type of the weapon or weapons used.

Flanked by members of his force and Upshur District Attorney Billy Byrd, Webb said one round fired by the perpetrators entered the deputy’s home and lodged in the clothing worn by one of her children, who was not injured.

Another round struck the chair the child was seated in as he played video games near a front window.

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Witnesses report seeing a tan or brown car fleeing the scene, and Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb said that they have a person of interest in the investigation. It is believed that the attack may have been in retaliation for law enforcement operations conducted by the department, but no specifics of why Sheriff Webb felt this to be the case was released.

Once captured, the assailant or assailants will face charges of attempted capital murder, retaliation, deadly conduct and aggravated assault against a public servant, all of which are felonies.

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