April 29--A Lincoln County man was in critical condition after being shot by State Police early this morning.
Ronnie Britton II, 40, was shot two or three times after pointing a shotgun at troopers, according to State Police Sgt. C.G. Wiles of the Lincoln County detachment.
According to a Lincoln County emergency dispatcher, firefighters went to a house on Turley Road in Alum Creek at about 1 a.m. When they got there, they were met by Britton, who was allegedly armed with a shotgun and ordered them to get off his property.
The dispatcher said the firefighters left, allowing the house to burn. Troopers from the Lincoln detachment were then called in.
Wiles said troopers arrived on the house, which is in a remote location, at about 1:45 a.m. He said Britton was shot at about 3 a.m.
Britton was taken by helicopter to CAMC General Hospital in Charleston. A hospital spokeswoman said he was under evaluation this morning.
Earlier this week, Britton's certificates to work as a miner were suspended for a year after a state board found he falsified credentials to work as a mine foreman.
The state Coal Mine Safety Board of Appeals suspended Britton's certificates after finding he used a fake certificate to work as an underground foreman. State mine safety officials tried to revoke his certification permanently.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
