FLAT TOP, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A welfare check in Summers County escalated into a tense encounter Sunday after a man allegedly fired a handgun while a deputy approached his property, according to law enforcement.
Deputy T.A. Withrow was dispatched around 11:46 a.m. on February 8, 2026, to a home on Suck Creek Road in Flat Top after a 911 call from a woman reporting that her husband, identified as William Patrick Morrison, had threatened to take his own life earlier that morning.
Due to poor road conditions, Deputy Withrow was unable to reach the residence by vehicle and continued on foot up the driveway. While approaching, the deputy observed a white Dodge pickup truck parked in the driveway. Authorities say Morrison exited the vehicle and pointed a handgun from roughly 30 yards away before firing one round into a wooded area near the deputy.
Deputy Withrow immediately moved to cover and ordered Morrison to drop the weapon. Morrison complied with commands, lay on the ground, and was taken into custody without further incident. The firearm was secured and identified as a .357 caliber revolver.
A second deputy responding to assist reported finding three empty beer bottles near the driver’s side of the truck. The revolver was found unloaded on the hood of the vehicle, with five live .357 Magnum rounds and one spent casing in the cylinder.
Authorities say the incident remains under investigation. All events occurred in Summers County. Charges, if any, were not listed in the initial report.
