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West Virginia Deputy Killed in Camper Shootout

The deputies were responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area around 5 p.m., Nicholas County Sheriff William F. Nunley said.

June 6, 2022
1 min to read


A Nicholas County (WV) Sheriff's deputy was shot and killed Friday afternoon during a domestic disturbance call.

Deputy Sheriff Thomas E. Baker, III, and a suspect were killed in the incident. A second deputy was wounded.

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The deputies were responding to a domestic disturbance in the Birch River area around 5 p.m., Nicholas County Sheriff William F. Nunley said in a statement on Facebook.

During that response, deputies made contact with Ritchie Holcomb and Tyler Kelly. The two men were reportedly occupying a camper. They came out of the camper and spoke with the deputies, the sheriff said.

"At some point the suspects became agitated running back into the camper. Deputies pursued them into the camper discharging a TASER. The suspects then began firing at officers, officers backed out of the camper where shots fired continued, the sheriff said.

Deputy Baker was hit in the back and mortally wounded. Cpl. J. Ellison was shot in the leg. Suspect Holcomb was killed. Suspect Kelly was taken into custody after a short standoff and physical altercation, according to the sheriff.

The incident is under investigation by the West Virginia State Police.

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Tyler Kelly, 28, was charged with first-degree murder.

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