A 31-year-old man shot himself after the Morgantown Police Department found him hiding in a crawl space following a foot chase.
Officers with the MPD spotted Robert Rye, who they knew had warrants from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department and the New Jersey State Police, about 2 a.m. on Thursday, near the Little General at 600 Willey Street, according to a press release.
The New Jersey warrant was for theft of a motor vehicle, according to Morgantown Communications Director Andrew Stacy.
Rye ran towards Richwood Avenue when officers approached him. Officers followed and Rye was seen running between houses near Richwood and Allen avenues, the MPD said. A backpack and a firearm were found in the area he was last seen.
A K-9 officer was called in to help search for Rye and the K-9 tracked Rye to a crawl space accessed through the garage of 541 East Prospect Street. Officers could see Rye’s feet in the crawl space from the garage and ordered him to get out.
Rye refused and the K-9 officer told Rye he was going to release the dog. At that point, Rye said “tell (inaudible) I love her and goodbye,” before firing a single shot, the MPD said.
After shooting himself Rye began moaning and officers removed him from the crawl space and started first aid. Rye was taken to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital for a single gunshot wound to his chest.
He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
