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Elkins man charged in police officer shooting

ISNER

ELKINS — A man has been charged in the Thursday night shooting of an Elkins Police Department officer in downtown.

Jerry Lee Isner II, of Second Street, Elkins, has been charged with attempted first degree murder and malicious assault on a police officer. Bond was set at $250,000 cash by Randolph County Magistrate Ben Shepler.

Senior Patrolman Daniel Sayre, 25, was shot at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday and was transported by helicopter to Morgantown.

According to the criminal complaint, Sayre, Corp. C. Boatright and Patrolman D. George encountered Isner carrying a rifle in the alley between Henry Avenue and John Street, behind the Jennings Randolph Federal Building. Isner was dressed in black shirt and pants.

Boatright told Isner to “drop the firearm and get on the ground,” the complaint states. Isner reportedly kept walking and told the officers “Just leave me alone.”

Sayre and Boatright then walked after Isner and Boatright applied a taser to Isner’s back, according to the complaint. Isner then reportedly fell to his stomach on top of the rifle.

Isner cursed the officers and then rolled over, said, “F— you guys” and fired three rounds, two of which struck Sayre in the left calf and right bicep/shoulder, the complaint states.

“Officers were unable to return fire due to the proximity of bystanders,” Elkins Police Chief Travis Bennett said in a press release Friday.

Officers secured a black Mossberg 702 Plinkster .22 caliber rifle from Isner, according to the complaint.

Officers from multiple agencies provided medical attention to Sayre on the scene until the arrival of Randolph County EMS, Bennett said in the press release.

Sayre is currently in good condition at Ruby Memorial Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, the release stated.

The complaint states that video surveillance and witness statements showed Isner shooting the gun into the air, waving the gun around and then “turning around, shouldering the rifle as if he was aiming at something towards the Federal Building and Second Street.”

Elkins Mayor Van Broughton spoke about Sayre in a public meeting Friday, noting, “He is doing better this morning. He had surgery late last night and he’s in stable condition.”

Bennett stated, “I would also like to thank the citizens of Elkins for the outpouring of support for Senior Patrolman Sayre and the Elkins Police Department.”

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