Berkeley County Man Fatally Shot by Deputies During Violent Incident

Berkeley County man with a history of mental illness was fatally shot by deputies after attacking a woman and threatening officers with a hatchet.Martinsburg, WV (DG) – – A deadly encounter in Berkeley County, West Virginia unfolded Sunday morning after deputies responded to multiple alarming reports involving a man with a history of mental health issues. Around 7:45 a.m., 29-year-old David Browne was reported missing. Family members told deputies that Browne had stopped taking his prescribed medications for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, had displayed paranoid behavior, and had previously been reported missing — even once found naked along Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania.Shortly after the initial report, deputies received a 911 call about a naked man armed with a hatchet attacking a woman’s car, breaking multiple windows. Browne then returned to his home on Jenny Wren Drive, still armed and destroying electronic devices. When deputies arrived, they say Browne emerged from the home and attacked a corporal with the hatchet. Officers discharged their service weapons, striking Browne.Medical personnel were called, but Browne was pronounced dead at Berkeley Medical Center. The sheriff’s office says a full investigation is ongoing, and the deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in incidents of this nature.