WYOMING COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Wyoming County man is facing multiple felony charges following an armed domestic incident Tuesday morning that authorities say involved a woman being taken from a residence against her will.
According to the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Tyler Sizemore was contacted by the Wyoming County 911 Center around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, regarding a reported physical domestic incident in the Oceana area.
Deputies say Jerry Browning had allegedly arrived at a residence where his wife was staying, kicked in the door and removed her from the residence against her will.
Sizemore and Deputy D. Phillips began searching the area for the vehicle the suspect was reportedly driving.
After checking several locations, deputies located the vehicle and both individuals at an abandoned residence in the Turkey Creek area.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies found Jerry Browning holding a black handgun to his own head while holding the victim at his side.
Sizemore began communicating and negotiating with Browning in an effort to safely separate the victim from the situation. Additional deputies responded along with officers from the West Virginia State Police and Oceana Police Department.
Authorities said continued negotiations and de-escalation efforts eventually allowed deputies to safely separate the victim from the situation and resolve the incident without further violence.
During the investigation, the victim told deputies that Jerry Browning had allegedly threatened to kill both her and himself. She also reported that he pulled the trigger of the firearm several times and fired live rounds in close proximity to her.
Jerry Browning was charged with burglary, kidnapping, wanton endangerment and domestic battery.
The Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office thanked the West Virginia State Police, Oceana Police Department, McDowell County Sheriff’s Office and other responding agencies for their assistance.
All criminal charges are allegations, and Browning is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
