WEST MILTON, Ohio (WKEF) — The quiet community of West Milton was shaken early Saturday morning after police discovered two bodies outside a city government building in what investigators are describing as a possible murder-suicide.
According to Chief Doyle Wright of the West Milton Police Division, the grim discovery was made shortly after 5 a.m. when a patrol officer noticed something unusual near 701 South Miami Street, the location of several city offices. The officer immediately called for backup, prompting a rapid response from local police and the Miami County Sheriff’s Office.
When officers arrived, they found two deceased individuals outside the building. Both appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds. Authorities quickly secured the area, blocking off surrounding streets as they began their investigation.
Chief Wright confirmed that the case is being treated as an apparent murder-suicide, though officials have not yet released the identities of the victims pending notification of their families. Autopsies are expected to be conducted by the Miami County Coroner’s Office to determine the exact causes and times of death.
Residents in the small Miami County town woke to flashing lights and police tape, stunned by the rare act of violence in their normally peaceful community. “You just don’t expect something like this here,” one local resident said. “It’s heartbreaking — those poor families.”
Investigators remained at the scene for several hours, collecting evidence and reviewing security footage from nearby buildings in hopes of piecing together what led to the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the West Milton Police Division.
💐 This heartbreaking discovery has left the West Milton community reeling — two lives lost, and a town searching for answers in the wake of unimaginable sorrow.