Luke Baber Kills Marshall Bailey: West Virginia Trooper Dead, Two Others Injured After Gunfire With Reckless Driver

State Trooper, Gunman Dead In Back-To-Back Shootouts

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A gunman who fatally shot a West Virginia State Trooper and wounded another after they took him into custody for reckless driving is dead following a pair of shootings that left two dead and three injured, according to authorities.

Police say that Luke Baber used a weapon he had on his person at the time of his arrest to shoot and kill trooper Marshall Bailey from the rear of a police cruiser, WSAZ reports.

Bailey, 42, and his partner, Eric Workman, stopped Baber at approximately 10:00 p.m. Tuesday night when they noticed the suspect driving erratically near the Wallback park-and-ride off Interstate 79 in Clay County.

The troopers arrested Baber and placed him in the police car. As they waited for a tow truck to collect Baber's vehicle, the suspect opened fire on the officers using his own 9mm weapon, WSAZ reports. He then used Bailey's weapon to critically wound Workman.

Following the shootout, Baber fled the scene.

"The suspect traveled a short distance before a Roane County Deputy Sheriff located and engaged him," police said in a statement.

"The suspect and the deputy sheriff exchanged fire. In that exchange, the suspect was killed and the deputy sheriff sustained non-life-threatening injuries."

Police say Baber was searched.

Today, authorities released a statement on the incident

"The thoughts and prayers of the West Virginia State Police are with the family of the fallen Trooper and with those who were injured," State Police Spokesman First Sgt. Michael Baylous said in the news release.

A civilian tow-truck driver also suffered injuries, according to authorities.

Workman remains in critical condition at Charleston Area Medical Center's General Hospital.

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