Authorities confirm two dead in Piatt County standoff

Fri, 10/14/2011 - 12:46am | Carol Vorel, News Director,

, Michael Kiser, Anchor, Reporter,

, and Tim Ditman, Anchor, Reporter,

     A standoff that lasted about five hours in Piatt County Thursday has left two people dead.

     Sergeant Bill Emery with Illinois State Police in Pesotum says 64 year old Roger Sharp and 59 year old Shirley Sharp of rural White Heath were found in their house at 2163 Wagon Trail Road when SWAT Team members entered the residence at around 9 p.m. Thursday night.

      Emery says the standoff began around 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon following a distressed call from a female regarding a possible shooting.

      He says the Piatt County Sheriff's office was able to contact Roger Sharp after the 9-1-1 call.

      Hear from Bill Emery on the incident.

Bill Emery talks about the Sharp incident.

       Emery says a perimeter was then set up around the house, and neighboring homes were evacuated during the standoff as a safety precaution.

      He says the cause of death is unknown at this time. Autopsies are scheduled for Friday morning.

     The incident remains under investigation by the Piatt County Sheriff's Office and the Illinois State Police.

Categories (2):News, Courts, Police, and Fire

Location (9):Monticello, Local, Bement, Cerro Gordo, Cisco, Piatt County, De Land, Hammond, Mansfield

Tags (5):WDWS, Illinois State Police, Bill Emery, Piatt County sheriff's offfice, US Marshals

Comments

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tazzer1984 wrote on October 14, 2011 at 3:10 am

A true tragedy! I wonder if this was a murder/suicide or if it was a suicide/suicide?
I hope that News-Gazette is able to follow up and let us know.
Way to go to all the officers and safety personnel to whom put their lives on the line.

jdmac44 wrote on October 14, 2011 at 8:10 am

The TV news interviewed a neighbor who said they heard multiple shots initially, so I doubt it was a double suicide. It's feasible if she shot herself in the chest, which women are more prone to do, but somehow I doubt it.