Double shooting in Athalia

Published 9:33 am Tuesday, November 24, 2009

ATHALIA — A preliminary hearing will be held Wednesday for an Athalia man who is facing charges following a Monday night shooting.

Clifton West, 20, of 1004 Wallace Lane, is in Lawrence County Jail on charges of aggravated burglary, two counts of felonious assault and felony vandalism.

Around 11:30 p.m. Monday the suspect allegedly came to his next-door neighbors’ home at 1000 Wallace Lane and shot open the door using a 12-gauge shotgun.

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He then entered the house and fired two or three more times, according to Lawrence County Detective Aaron Bollinger.

West was arrested at the scene by Deputy Randy Rogers.

There were four individuals at home at the time. Two men were injured from the shotgun rounds and taken to Cabell Huntington Hospital.

“The injuries are not life-threatening,” Bollinger said. “It appears to be a domestic. (The shooting appears) due to alcohol and anger.”

The owners of the home were the parents of the suspect’s girlfriend, who was in the house with her parents and a cousin. Her father and cousin were the victims of the shooting.

“We recovered numerous 12-gauge shotgun rounds and spent cases,” Bollinger said.

West faces felony vandalism charges for damage done to the sheriff’s cruiser at the time of his arrest, Bollinger said.

He will be arraigned in Lawrence County Municipal Court before Donald R. Capper when a bond will be set.