Just in from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, is in critical condition after being stabbed in his home and his son Gus is dead from a gunshot wound, law enforcement sources told the Richmond Times-Dispatch this morning. Deeds is being treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
Authorities said they are trying to determine the sequence of events at the Deeds home in Bath County early today. In a news release, Virginia State Police said they responded to Deeds’ home in Millboro at 7:25 a.m., and that the lawmaker was flown from to the U.Va. medical center.
“Virginia State Police are on the scene of an assault of a state legislator that took place Tuesday morning,” the news release said. “Senator Creigh Deeds has been transported to U.Va. Hospital in Charlottesville for treatment of serious injuries sustained in the assault at his residence.”
Regarding Deeds’ son, state police would only say that “a second individual at the residence is deceased.”
Our thoughts & prayers are with Sen. Deeds and his family.
UPDATE 3:30 pm by Lowell: The Virginia State Police are holding another press conference with updates on this situation. Also, @PilotOnPolitics tweets, “@CreighDeeds condition upgraded to fair from critical, per UVA Med Center.” There was a 9/11 call at 7:25 am. Creigh Deeds and Gus “had an altercation.” Creigh left the scene on foot, encountered a cousin who was driving along, where rescue responded. Creigh was then transported to UVA Medical Center, where his condition is now listed as “fair” (upgraded from “critical”). Gus Deeds (24 years old) died at the scene from gunshot wounds. Investigators remain at the scene. Motive and circumstances around altercation are the focus of the investigation. The Deeds family has passed along request to honor their privacy during this time, that the media not contact them. Based on the evidence now, the police are looking at it as attempted murder and suicide. The police still are piecing together the exact sequence of events. Creigh was able to talk to investigators this morning. There was noone else (e.g., Creigh’s wife Siobhan) in the residence at the time of the altercation. A firearm has been recovered, no further details on that or the attempted murder weapon.
UPDATE 2:07 pm by Lowell: The RTD reports – “Gus Deeds had been released Monday following a mental health evaluation performed under an emergency custody order, an official said…[Gus] was evaluated Monday at Bath County hospital, Cropper said, but was released because no psychiatric bed could be located across a wide area of western Virginia.” That is seriously f’ed up.
UPDATE 12:05 pm by Lowell: The Roanoke Times tweets – “Update from reporter at scene (1/2): #CreighDeeds stabbed numerous times before walking on to Va. 42 …Update from reporter at scene (2/2): #CreighDeeds picked up by cousin who lives nearby, airlifted from cousin’s farm.”
UPDATE 11:39 am by Lowell: The Loudoun Times-Mirror (@LTMnews) tweets, “The Virginia State Police will hold a press briefing on the incident involving state Sen. Creigh Deeds today at noon.”
UPDATE by Lowell: NBC4 reports: “Democratic sources tell News4 that Deeds’ son Austin ‘Gus’ Deeds attacked his father Tuesday morning before turning a gun on himself.”
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