Author: Dave Mistich

Ex-police officer identified as shooter at federal building in Wheeling

A former Wheeling police officer reportedly fired up to 30 shots into the federal courthouse Wednesday afternoon before he was shot and killed by security…

A former Wheeling police officer reportedly fired up to 30 shots into the federal courthouse Wednesday afternoon before he was shot and killed by security officers at the building.

Update: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 10:22 p.m.

Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger identified the gunman in Wednesday afternoon’s shooting as 55-year-old Thomas J. Piccard of Bridgeport, Ohio. He is a retired Wheeling police officer.
At a news conference late Wednesday, Schwertfeger said Piccard was armed with an assault weapon and a handgun.
 
He also said three on-duty security officers were injured by flying debris during the onslaught.

Update: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 9:02 p.m.

The Associated Press reports Wheeling Mayor Andy McKenzie said police who briefed him after Wednesday’s courthouse assault told him the man was a 20-year-plus veteran of the force. He said the man retired 13 years ago.
 
McKenzie said the retired officer’s name was not being released immediately, although various media outlets around the state have identified the shooter as Thomas Picard.

Investigators were seeking a search warrant for Piccard’s home in hopes of determining a motive and if he acted alone, said Chief Deputy Mike Claxton of the Marshals Service in northern West Virginia.

Update: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Glynis Board  dispatched the following information:

A spokesman fron the U.S. Marshals Service reports that the gunman was an ex-Wheeling police officer who was terminated in 2001. The FBI is leading an ongoing investigation in collaboration with state and city police. The spokesman says the gunman shot at least 20 shots at the fed courthouse–and some entered the building. A U.S. Marshal court security officer and a Wheeling police officer returned fire, injuring the gunman who was pronounced dead from those injuries at a local hospital. The spokesman adds that courthouse will resume normal operations tomorrow.

Update: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.

The Wheeling Intelligencer reports that, at a 5:30 news conference, Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said there is no known motive for the shooting as of yet. Wheeling’s paper also confirms through multiple sources that the shooter has been identified as Thomas Piccard.

Update: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 6:20 p.m.

A witness told WV MetroNews the gunman used a rifle, reloading at least once, as he fired at the federal building around 2:45 p.m.

Authorities said the gunman, identified as Thomas Piccard, died at a local hospital. U.S. attorney Bill Ihlenfeld said Piccard was a former Wheeling police officer.

Ihlenfeld was in his office when the shooting occurred.

The Wheeling Intelligencer reports that the shooter may have had other targets in mind.

The Federal Building may not have been the man's only target, as an eyewitness to the shooting said he also may have been targeting the nearby Wheeling YWCA.

Wheeling resident Carla Webb Daniels said she witnessed the shooter fire from the Chase Bank parking lot across Chapline Street from the Federal Building. Daniels said she was in her attorney's office when she heard loud gun shots. When she looked out she saw a white male standing between a silver or gold SUV and a white vehicle in the parking lot pull out a gun and start shooting at the federal building. She then saw the shooter put down the assault rifle and reload before shooting at the YWCA building.

"I was so nervous, I couldn't believe it," Daniels said. "People were scared and were banging on the doors asking to be let in."

This story was originally published on October 9, 2013 at 5:48 p.m.

Mingo Co. Commissioner resigns as part of plea agreement

A Mingo County Commissioner who pleaded guilty to federal extortion charges stepped down Monday from his post.

Commissioner David Baisden announced his resignation in a press release through the Mingo County Commission Office. It is effective immediately.

The resignation follows a guilty plea entered in Federal Court on October 2. During the hearing, Baisden admitted to using his position in an attempt to get tires for his personal vehicle at a discounted price.

“I’ve always had it in my heart to serve the people of this county in a manner they could be proud of,” Baisden said in a statement. “It was never my intention to do anything to put Mingo County in a negative light. I love this county, and I love the people. I continue to want to do what is best for them.”

According to the news release, Baisden has served as commissioner since January 1st, 2007, and began his second term at the beginning of this year. He also served as the county’s purchasing agent.

Baisden is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14th, 2014  and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“I’m sorry that I will be unable to serve the people of Mingo County for the remainder of the term to which they have elected me,” Baisden said. “I never wanted to let them down.”

Portions of western Kanawha Co. briefly placed under shelter in place

Portions of South Charleston, Dunbar and other areas in western Kanawha County were under a shelter in place Wednesday morning as a result of a chemical…

Portions of South Charleston, Dunbar and other areas in western Kanawha County were under a shelter in place Wednesday morning as a result of a chemical leak. No injuries were reported and the situation appears to be non-threatening at this point.

Clearon Corporation Facilities Manager Scott Johnson says his company produces dry chlorinated bleach for use in pools. He details the chain of the events during the incident.

“At 8:25 Eastern Daylight Time this morning an alarm alerted our management to the release of a small amount of chlorine,” said Johnson.

“The chlorine comes off in a large white cloud. We activated our plant emergency response team and we notified the local fire department.”

Fire Departments from South Charleston and Dunbar and officials from Kanawha County Emergency Management responded to the scene and issued a shelter in place around 9:30 am. It was lifted about 40 minutes later.

Clearon officials and a team from OSHA are on site and investigating the incident.

National Guard hit hard by federal shutdown

Adjutant General James Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard said of the more than 2,300 full time guardsmen and women that would have gone back to…

Adjutant General James Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard said of the more than 2,300 full time guardsmen and women that would have gone back to work Tuesday, 1,150 of them were sent home because of the shutdown of the federal government.

Hoyer said jobs affected by the shutdown include everything from mechanics to pilots. He expressed frustrations over not being able to protect the pay of the men and women who he said are responsible for protecting the nation and state.

“Last night I saw all across the national news—and again this morning—that this House Resolution 3210 was going to ensure pay for military personnel,” said Hoyer.

“It’s called the ‘Pay Our Military Act.’ But, unfortunately, the way this is being interpreted right now within the Department of Defense and other agencies within the federal government, this really is the ‘Pay Part of Our Military Act.’”

Hoyer also noted there are 389 individuals that are federally-reimbursed employees for the Guard, including 30 military firefighters deployed at Yeager Airport. Currently, those employee salaries, which total $227,000 a week, are being “floated” by the state government.

Hoyer said the state may not be able to continue to cover those salaries if the federal shutdown continues too long. That would force Yeager Airport to employ county or city firefighter resources, according to airport officials.

Fall forest fire season starts Oct. 1

The West Virginia Division of Forestry reminds residents that the state’s fall forest fire season starts Oct. 1, 2013 and runs through Dec. 31, 2013. During these three months, daytime burning is prohibited from the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Outdoor burning is permitted only between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.    

State law requires a ring or safety strip around outdoor fires to keep the fire from spreading into the woods. This safety strip must be cleared of all burnable material and be at least 10 feet wide completely around the debris pile.    

Additional requirements of the state’s fire laws include staying on-site until the fire is completely extinguished, and only burning vegetative materials like leaves, brush and yard clippings.

If you allow a fire you have started to escape and it causes a wildfire or forest fire, you will be subject to fines ranging from $100 to $1,000. An additional civil penalty of $200 also will be assessed against you.

The Division of Forestry offers these tips for safe outdoor burning:

  • Burn only after 5 p.m. it’s the law and put your fire out completely by 7 a.m
  • Put debris in several small piles instead of one large one
  • Never burn on dry, windy days
  • Select a safe place away from overhead power lines, phone lines or other obstructions and where the fire cannot spread into the woods or weedy or brushy areas
  • Clear at least a 10-foot area around the fire and make sure the area is clear of all burnable material
  • Have water and tools on hand to extinguish anything that may escape the burn area
  • Be conscientious of neighbors and don’t burn debris that produces a lot of smoke at times when smoke does not rise. If the smoke spreads out near the ground instead of rising, put out the fire and burn another time.
  • Stay with the fire at all times until it is completely out. Leaving a fire unattended for any length of time is illegal.
  • Call 911 immediately if a fire does escape

Commercial burning permits may be obtained by public utilities and people burning in conjunction with commercial, manufacturing, mining or like activities. These burning permits cost $125 each and are issued by local Division of Forestry offices. A permit is required for each site where this type of burning takes place.

To find out more about West Virginia’s burning laws and where you can obtain a burning permit, visit the Division of Forestry’s website.

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