The Wheeling Police Department is releasing its factual findings from the March shooting investigation on Wheeling Island that resulted in the death of a Wheeling man.
At 7:27 p.m., Saturday, March 19, 2022, Wheeling police officers responded to two 911 calls in the 100 block of South Huron Street on Wheeling Island, where officers met with one of the callers who told police he shot a man in self-defense. The shooter was initially detained and cooperated with police by providing a statement. Later that evening, he was released from police custody.
The individual shot, 35-year-old Tyrone Raymont Thompson, was taken to Wheeling Hospital by ambulance where he later died. The West Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death as homicide as a result of two gunshot wounds to the upper torso area.
Police determined, based on several witness accounts, that Thompson was driving a vehicle in an aggressive manner on South Huron Street. During that time, the shooter made a gesture to Thompson from the sidewalk. Thompson then stopped his car in the 100 block of South Huron Street and approached the shooter on the sidewalk, where a physical altercation ensued. As the fight continued, the shooter ended up on his back, and then fired three shots, two of them fatally wounding Thompson. No outside video captured the altercation.
Physical evidence recovered from the scene, injuries noted on the deceased, witness accounts, and the shooter’s injuries indicate the gunshots were fired at close proximity and were consistent with the physical altercation described by the shooter. An autopsy also confirmed Thompson was shot at close range.
Wheeling Police detectives spent several weeks investigating various online rumors, including social media posts suggesting six gunshots were fired. Police determined the video with the suspected six gunshots was captured an hour before the shooting happened and is unrelated to the actual incident.
Police also determined there was no prior relationship between the shooter and Thompson. The shooter was legally carrying the firearm.
The facts developed in the months-long investigation were brought before an Ohio County Grand Jury on May 9, 2022. After a full presentation of the investigation and a lengthy deliberation, members of the grand jury did not find probable cause to charge any crime against the shooter.
