Questions Raised About Franklin County Sheriff’s Actions Preceding Monday’s Shootings

By Jason Johnson | Wednesday, June 1st, 2011 | Politics

Memorial Day turned ominous for two southwestern Virginia families after Jonathan Agee, a 32 year-old Deputy Sheriff from Franklin County, fatally shot his ex-wife at a Roanoke convenience store and then wounded a Virginia State Policeman who was pursuing him on Interstate-81.

With the initial shock wearing off, the local media is beginning to question Franklin County Sheriff Ewell Hunt’s handling of a call county dispatchers received about Deputy Agee.

Angell [Deputy Agee's current wife] said that Agee had left their home in Boones Mill in his patrol car with an assault rifle, saying he was going to Salem to kill his ex-wife.

The radio log said that while Angell was on the phone, Agee returned to the house.

“His voice was heard in the background, sounds like that he knows that she called 911,” the log said.

Agee left again, and dispatchers sent a text message to Hunt to tell him what was going on.

At 11:15 a.m., a Franklin County officer suggested calling Roanoke County and Salem and issuing a “BOL,” or “be on the lookout” alert. Hunt “advised not to call, that he will take care of it,” the log said.

At 11:17 a.m., Hunt told dispatch to call Agee on the radio and tell him to call the sheriff. Agee would not answer.

The logs do not indicate that any additional efforts were made to intercept Deputy Agee after that 11:17 a.m. attempt.  Approximately 15 minutes later, Deputy Agee located his ex-wife in the parking lot of a Roanoke Sheetz.  The State Policeman injured in the I-81 shootout with Deputy Agee, Sgt. Matthew Brannock, is reportedly doing quite well.

Sheriff Hunt is refusing to address the specifics of his decision not to issue the BOL, but he has stated that he thought a personal call to the Salem police–where he thought Deputy Agee was actually going–would be a quicker method for alerting local authorities.  Virginia State Police is investigating the incident.

Of note, Sheriff Hunt is up for reelection in November.  The Blue Ridge Caucus muses how–or if–this incident, coupled with an earlier investigation into his office’s handling of evidence (an investigation that interestingly involved Deputy Agee), might impact the first-term Republican’s chances to win a second term, especially since his challenger is the son of Franklin County’s legendary, longtime sheriff.

While some are attempting to make a major issue out of Sheriff Hunt’s actions on Monday, we should not rush to judgment.  All too often, immediately after a tragedy occurs, our society is prepared to cast blame on the individual(s) involved–especially when the key players are elected officials.  Law enforcement should not be a blame-game.  Let the State Police to complete its investigation and if Sheriff Hunt or any other law enforcement officers mishandled the situation, there will be plenty of time to assign blame.  Now is not that time.

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