Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 10, 1993 TAG: 9309100112
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The suicide ended a standoff with police that lasted several hours, Patrick County Sheriff Jay Gregory said.
The body of Daniel A. Nourse, 51, of Stuart, was found on the front porch after police bombed the cabin with tear gas and then moved in after getting no response.
A shotgun was found next to the body, as well as a loaded .22-caliber pistol. Although an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, Gregory said it appeared by all indications to be a suicide.
Police were seeking Nourse on charges that he violated probation by carrying a shotgun earlier in the day. He was on probation from a New Hampshire conviction of assaulting his son, and had since been charged with assaulting his wife and his daughter, authorities said.
"I think the stress of all that, and his fear of possibly being sent to jail, led up to what happened," Gregory said.
On Wednesday morning, Nourse was seen in his pickup truck with a gun in Stuart. Later in the day, a man with whom Nourse had been staying reported to police that Nourse had walked into the woods carrying a shotgun.
Police went to the area, off Virginia 8 south of Stuart. After learning that at least one shot had been fired, Patrick County authorities called for a state police tactical unit, helicopter and tracking dogs.
Because Patrick County High School was nearby, officials sent students home early.
As police got within 200 feet of the cabin, a gunshot was heard. While it first was believed that Nourse was firing at them, police now believe he killed himself with that shot, Gregory said.
Several hours later - after firing tear gas into the cabin and calling for reinforcements - police moved in and discovered the body.
No shots were fired by police, Gregory said.
by CNB