One in custody, another dead after incident in Madison Heights

AMHERST COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – One person is dead and another is in custody after authorities responded to a wellness check late Thursday night.

Officers went to a home on Overlook Drive in Madison Heights to check on a person who had not been seen for several days. When they arrived, shots were fired at the officers, Amherst County Sheriff Jimmy Ayers said.

Authorities on the scene knew the shots came from the house where the health check was to take place, Ayers said.

One person was arrested and another person was found dead.

Preliminary information indicates that the victim did not appear to have inflicted the injuries on himself, Ayers said.

Virginia State Police will investigate the crime scene and collect evidence until the early hours of the morning.

Sheriff Ayers did not confirm charges or the names of those involved in the incident, but said there is currently no danger to the public.

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