Standoff suspect charged with trying to kill officer in Alleghany County

IRON GATE, Va. – UPDATE

Wednesday night's standoff in Iron Gate ended around midnight after the suspect surrendered, but not before he fired on officers responding to the scene. No one was injured in the incident but the suspect did hit a Virginia State Police vehicle.

State police have named the suspect as 59-year-old Marshall Dale Meadows. He is now charged with attempted capital murder of a police officer and more charges are pending. 

Alleghany County Sheriff Kevin Hall said that Meadows was drunk and fired his gun more than a dozen times at random. A witness said he saw Meadows shooting from his front porch in the direction of Route 220 and was yelling gibberish after each shot.

"He was aiming toward 220 and then he would yell after each shot he would yell or scream but I couldn't see what he was shooting at, all I know is he was shooting toward that way which is toward my house," William Sorrels said.

Sheriff Hall said officers did not return fire at that point because they ducked for cover. According to Hall no officers fired their weapons during the standoff but did use a flash bang.

Meadows is a local in town and Hall said one of his deputies knew the suspect personally. Hall said that deputy was the one who convinced Meadows to surrender.

ORIGINAL STORY

Alleghany County authorities are telling residents in the Iron Gate community to stay indoors due to an active standoff, according to authorities. 

Deputies are on scene at the situation on 8th Street and Commerce Avenue in Iron Gate, and authorities say emergency crews from across the area are heading to the scene. 

Authorities say the suspect has fired his gun since officers arrived on scene. 

The Virginia State Police SWAT team is responding, according to the Alleghany County Sheriff. 

10 News has a crew on the way to learn more. Stay with us as we follow this developing story. 

Witness says he was in his house watching a movie when he heard shots, so he grabbed his gun and went outside to investigate. 

He says he saw a man standing on his porch in the area of 8th Street and Commerce shooting his gun randomly at Rt. 220 and that after every time he fired his gun, he was yelling noises and just kept shooting. 

At that point, that's when he called 911. 

As 10 News was talking to that witness, there was a flash and a loud bang in the sky that sounded like a flash bang. 

As of 11:20 p.m., first responders were still arriving on the scene and are asking residents to shelter in place.