West Virginia trooper fatally shot in Mingo County; suspect in custody, authorities say

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY

A West Virginia State Police trooper was killed in the line of duty and a suspect was in custody late Friday in connection to the officer's slaying, state authorities said.

Sgt. Cory Maynard was fatally shot in Mingo County Friday afternoon, said Will Thompson, U.S. attorney for West Virginia’s southern district. The county is about 50 miles southwest of Charleston, the state capitol, and rests along the Virginia border.

According to information posted by Mingo County Emergency Management, an armed suspect was being pursued just before 5 p.m. in the county's Beech Creek area and people were being asked to shelter in place.

State police posted on Facebook the manhunt stemmed "from a shooting where a uniformed member of the West Virginia State Police was shot."

Police said troopers were met with gunfire when responding to a report of a shooting and Maynard was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.

A West Virginia state trooper, Sgt. Cory Maynard, was killed in the line of duty in Mingo County on June 2, 2023. Another person was injured in the incident and a suspect was in custody following the trooper's slaying.
A West Virginia state trooper, Sgt. Cory Maynard, was killed in the line of duty in Mingo County on June 2, 2023. Another person was injured in the incident and a suspect was in custody following the trooper's slaying.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in Louisville, Kentucky, which leads a field division covering portions of West Virginia, tweeted at least one other person was injured in the incident.

Additional details about the shooting were not immediately released, including the identity of the other person injured.

https://twitter.com/ATFLouisville/status/1664830656805756929

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Suspect arrested following search

Timothy Kennedy, 29, of Beech Creek, was arrested about 10:50 p.m. Friday in connection to the shooting following an extensive search, state police said on Facebook.

Neither troopers nor the ATF could immediately be reached by USA TODAY Saturday morning.

They ended up shot or dead. They called 911 for help. Police arrived.

'Absolutely heartbroken'

In a statement released on Twitter, Governor Jim Justice, said he was "absolutely heartbroken." He and first lady Cathy Justice extended their sympathies to Maynard's family.

"The brave men and women of law enforcement, and all first responders who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, are an inspiration to us all," Justice wrote.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: West Virginia trooper killed; suspect in custody, authorities say

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