Man who shoots wife is found dead in Bentz Street yard

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

A West Virginia man was found shot dead in a Bentz Street yard Wednesday afternoon after police said he shot his wife.

Lt. Thomas Chase of the Frederick Police Department said police received a call about a domestic incident on Bentz Street at 2:11 p.m. Wednesday.

Chase said the incident involving a husband and wife in one of the homes spilled out in to Bentz Street. An officer responded to the scene, he said, and found the man holding his wife at gunpoint.

From several houses away, the officer ordered the man to drop his weapon. During the interaction, the man shot his wife. Chase said that the man also fired at least one round at the officer, who returned fire.

Chase said police found the man deceased in a yard between 17 and 29 Bentz St., directly across from Mullinix Park.

A witness at the scene said the man shot himself, Chase said. He did not yet know if the officer’s gunfire hit him.

The only detail known about the man is that he has a West Virginia address, Chase said.

His wife was taken by ambulance to South Frederick Elementary School, where a helicopter transported her to Baltimore Shock Trauma. Her condition was not known at press time.

The names of the husband and wife were not released at press time, as family notification was pending.

Chase said the officer involved, who he would not identify, was not shot during the incident. He said that evidence and an eyewitness account confirmed that the officer was fired upon.

The investigation is continuing. Log onto www.gazette.net for updates on Thursday.