Berkeley County man dies and two WVSP officers shot after gunfire exchange

Staff and wire reports
Updated ·2 min read

Editor's note: This story was updated at 11 a.m. on Dec. 19, 2023, with additional information including the troopers' names.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A man died and two West Virginia State Police troopers were shot during a gunfire exchange Sunday night near Martinsburg as officers attempted to serve a warrant, according to a state police news release.

Troopers, attempting to serve an arrest warrant at a home northeast of Martinsburg, say they were met with gunshots and returned fire, authorities said Monday.

Tobias Ganey, 60, died in the Martinsburg area around 11 p.m. Sunday, said Major James Mitchell, West Virginia State Police chief of staff services. One trooper underwent surgery for serious injuries, but was in stable condition, Mitchell said in a news release.

State Police are investigating the incident.

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Troopers A.A. Bean and C.D. Spessert from the Martinsburg barrack were trying to serve an arrest warrant for Ganey — for battery — in the 100 block of Connell Street around 10:50 p.m. Sunday, according to a state police news release.

Connell Street is in a neighborhood northwest of Berkeley Station Road and is northeast of Martinsburg.

Troopers spoke with Ganey "for an extended period," but Ganey refused to open the door or come outside, the release states.

The two troopers "made entry into the residence to arrest" Ganey and were immediately hit by bullets state police say Ganey fired from his handgun, the release states. The troopers returned fire.

Ganey died at the scene.

Bean was hit four times and Spessert was struck once during the gunfire exchange, the release states.

Both troopers were taken to a hospital for emergency treatment.

Bean underwent surgery for serious injuries, the release states.

Spessert was treated and admitted for observation.

Both troopers were in stable condition at the time the release was issued on Monday.

An update on their condition was not immediately available Tuesday morning.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Two West Virginia State Police officers shot, suspect dead