Suspect in Richardson shooting waives hearing
Jun. 9—A suspect who is charged in relation to the deadly May 2 shooting of a Woodrow Wilson High School student waived his extradition to return to West Virginia from a North Carolina jail, Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield said Tuesday.
Michael Webb, 19, is charged in Raleigh County with accessory after the fact to voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Dwayne Richardson, a junior at Woodrow Wilson. He was at Onslow County (N.C.) Jail on Tuesday.
According to Beckley Police Department investigators, Webb and Rashad Brown, 18, of Beckley, allegedly provided police with misleading information to divert them from arresting the alleged shooter, Jeremiyah Fortner.
Police arrested Fortner on a charge of voluntary manslaughter and four counts of wanton endangerment after Fortner is accused of pointing an AR-15 at Richardson as Fortner, Richardson and three others were gathered in the basement of a house on Foster Avenue.
Fortner allegedly did not believe the semi-automatic rifle was loaded, authorities said. He allegedly pointed it at Richardson and pulled the trigger, in an effort to get a fearful reaction from the teen and others in the basement.
The gun fired a bullet that struck Richardson. He later died at Charleston Area Medical Center, although Fortner had tried to get medical help for Richardson after the shooting.
Fortner was charged with voluntary manslaughter, which carries up to a 15-year prison term.
Fortner had been previously charged with a felony and was not permitted to possess a firearm.
Police charged both Webb and Rashad Brown, 18, of Beckley, with accessory after the fact of voluntary manslaughter in relation to Richardson's shooting.
Brown turned himself in to police on May 17 and posted bond.
Webb was arrested in Onslow County, North Carolina, on May 11, when Onslow police learned of the Raleigh County warrant, but he refused to be extradited back to Beckley for court proceedings.
Hatfield's office sought a governor's warrant to force Webb to return to Raleigh County.
On June 4, however, Webb waived his extradition hearing and agreed to return to West Virginia.
He will likely be in custody in Beckley within a week from June 8, officials reported on Tuesday.
