Man shoots father in face with crossbow, West Virginia police say

A man is accused of shooting his father in the face with a crossbow in West Virginia. 

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said in a post on Facebook that Chase Fleming was charged in connection with the crossbow shooting on Tuesday. 

Authorities said Fleming was taken into custody after “a very lengthy” foot pursuit that went through snow-covered Jackson and Roane counties on Wednesday. The “exhausting search” involved the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, the West Virginia State Police, and deputies from Roane and Kanawha Counties, officials said. 

The sheriff’s department said the victim was last listed in stable condition at a local hospital. Authorities did not say what led up to the shooting.

Fleming was charged with one count of malicious assault, with the sheriff’s department adding that more charges are possible in the future. He was not released on bond as of Wednesday morning. The investigation into the crossbow shooting continues. 

“How the guy is still alive is beyond me. It’s really remarkable,” Jackson County Sheriff Ross Mellinger told WV MetroNews.