Update 4:50 p.m.: The Virginia State Police have released an update, saying Gus Deeds and his father got into an altercation Tuesday morning. VSP believes Gus Deeds stabbed his father during that altercation and then shot himself. Creigh Deeds, who was airlifted to the University of Virginia’s hospital, is now listed in fair condition.
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Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) was stabbed in his Bath County home early Tuesday morning, leaving him with serious injuries that required an airlift to the University of Virginia Hospital.
The Virginia State Police released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying Creigh Deed’s son, 24-year-old Austin “Gus” Deeds, was found at the scene with a gunshot wound to his head. Troopers and deputies from the Bath County Sheriff’s Office tried to save him, but he died at the scene.
The statement said Creigh Deeds was found this morning on the side of a road in Bath County by his cousin. It said Creigh Deeds left his home on foot after the stabbing and walked to the road. The cousin took the 55-year-old senator to his residence and called 911. Troopers and Bath County Sheriff’s deputies responded and found him with multiple stab wounds to the head and upper torso.
He was taken by ambulance to a nearby farm, where a helicopter landed to take him to the hospital. He remains hospitalized in Charlottesville.
“Investigators are working now on confirming the motive and actual sequence of events that took place at the residence this morning,” said VSP Spokesperson Corinne Geller. “There is still a great deal of work to be done. These things take time and we will follow up with more details once we are at that stage.”
According to a story from Washington, D.C.-based NBC 4, sources from within the Democratic Party have told the network Gus Deeds shot and killed himself this morning after stabbing his father. That spokesperson went on to say VSP is not currently looking for anybody in connection to the incident.
“Today was a total surprise. It’s very upsetting,” said Diane Dudley, a staff assistant at the school’s music library who regularly interacted with Gus Deeds. “He would come in and share stories about building things, cooking things, about how he could recycle different things and make new stuff out of it and how he loved to hunt. He was an active young man. My favorite story was when he told me about taking an old picket fence apart and making a banjo out of the pickets.”
Dudley said Deeds talked about “normal stuff,” such as his father’s 2009 bid to win the governor’s job. She said he did not mention anything personal about his relationship with his father.
She said she has seen him around the music library for the past few years.
“He was always telling something good, how to cook this, or you should go to this wine festival, or check this out,” Dudley said. “He would come in and visit sometimes and then get down to business and do his homework.”
Ginger Ambler, the College of William and Mary’s vice president for student affairs, sent a letter to students Tuesday saying the Virginia State Police have said Austin Deeds died of a gunshot wound Tuesday morning. The letter said Gus Deeds was not currently enrolled at the College of William and Mary at the time of his death.
According to the letter, Gus Deeds first enrolled at the College of William and Mary in fall 2007 after he graduated from Bath County High School. The letter said Gus Deeds was a music major with a strong academic record.
Creigh Deeds was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2009 in a race he lost to Gov. Bob McDonnell. McDonnell released a statement Tuesday morning.
“In this tough and sad time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Deeds family,” McDonnell said. “The news from this morning is utterly heartbreaking. Creigh Deeds is an exceptional and committed public servant who has always done what he believes is best for Virginia and who gives his all to public service. He cares deeply about Virginia, and the people of Virginia care deeply for him. I urge all Virginians today to join me in praying for a full and complete recovery for Creigh and for many more years of his public service to the Commonwealth. At this moment, our state unites in prayer for Creigh Deeds and his family.”
Creigh Deeds beat Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe to be the Democratic nominee in that race. McAuliffe released a statement Tuesday morning.
“Dorothy and I are praying for Senator Creigh Deeds and his family in the wake of this awful tragedy,” McAuliffe said. “This is a truly sad day for Virginia and for the many people who know Creigh as the fine public servant and friend he is. We join people across the Commonwealth and country in wishing him a full recovery.”
Creigh Deeds is currently serving in the Virginia Senate as the representative for District 25, which includes all of Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Nelson and Rockbridge counties. It also includes the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington and Charlottesville. The district also includes part of Ablemarle County. He has been a member of the Senate since 2001. Prior to that, he served in the House of Delegates from 1992 to 2001.
