‘Gunshot wound to the head’ reported in southern Warren County on May 1 – Sheriff’s Office posts release on incident following afternoon

Updated with new information: Social media reports posted Monday evening from “an unofficial and non-affiliated incident page for Warren County VA and surrounding areas” called Warren County VA Fire Wire reported the dispatch and evacuation by “AIRCARE” medivac crew to Warren Memorial Hospital of a victim with a “gunshot wound to the head” from the Harmony Hollow/Remount Road area of southern Warren County. However, it was later learned the victim was transported to Warren Memorial Hospital by ground transport after it was judged inadvisable they make a helicopter flight.

A photo on the non-county affiliated WC Fire Wire website showed a rescue helicopter approaching a landing spot on a road blocked off to allow its access during daylight hours. Information received later concerning incident times and transport of victim indicate this is a file photo.

No other information was available until 3:38 p.m. Tuesday afternoon when Warren County Sheriff’s Office Major Jeff Driskill was the first to respond to Royal Examiner’s multi-agency request for official information on the incident. That initial press release, posted a short time later on the WCSO Facebook page, indicated a possible confrontation over the abuse of minor children, with the father of one of the victims on the way to confront the alleged perpetrator.

That WCSO release and topic headline are below in their entirety, with later information received on the times of the initial call and location of the victim between 9-and-10 p.m., added. As noted above, it was also determined inadvisable that the victim be transported by helicopter.

“Investigation into single victim shooting incident 05/01/2023”

“Front Royal, VA – On May 1st, 2023, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office received a report at 9:11 p.m. from an out-of-state resident concerning the alleged sexual abuse against two minor children, involving a relative of theirs. The Sheriff’s Office was also informed that the father of one victim was en-route to confront the alleged abuser, with concerns raised about the potential involvement of firearms. Based on the potential for escalating violence with weapons, Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to the suspect’s address.

“Warren County deputies arrived at the scene near the 4000 block of Remount Road, where they discovered a solitary vehicle parked by the property’s edge. A cursory search of the property led to the discovery at 9:49 p.m. of an injured male with head wounds consistent with a gunshot. Emergency medical services were immediately summoned, and deputies attempted life-saving measures. The injured individual was transported to Warren Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“The Warren County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating this case as a death incident. Evidence suggest this to be an isolated occurrence, and at present, investigators suspect the death likely to be a self-inflicted response to the sexual abuse allegations, with no evidence indicating otherwise. Due to the nature of the initial report of abuse involving minors and the ongoing investigation, no further details will be released. If anyone has any relevant information about this case, please contact Investigator Clark McDaniel at 540-635-7100 ext. 3.”

End of WCSO release

The WC FIRE WIRE website post contained the following reports initially posted around 9 to 10 p.m; Monday evening, May 1:

“Agonal breathing” and “WCSO (Warren County Sheriff’s Office) O/S (on site);

“Deputies carrying the PT out of the woods, Aircare 4 on standby;

“AIRCARE 4 launching, landing zone at 4-H Center” and “Diverting to WMH with AIRCARE 4 crew”