HOWARD — Two suspects shot and killed by law enforcement officers after a nine-hour standoff on Saturday morning have now been identified by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
Knox Co. Sheriff David Shaffer identified the suspects as 56-year-old Randy A. Wilhelm and 53-year-old Bradley L. Wilhelm in a press release issued on Sunday.
At approximately 9:21 a.m. on Saturday, the Wilhelm brothers were shot by officers as they were riding in a side-by-side ATV toward officers who were outside of an armored vehicle, Shaffer said. Both men were armed at the time.
Knox Co. Prosecutor Chip McConville said Sunday both men died as a result of the gunshots. They were pronounced dead at the scene, he said.
The men were believed to be the same individuals who were involved in a separate shooting the night before, which prompted a standoff on the property.
Randy Wilhelm was under indictment in Knox County Common Pleas Court for charges including intimidation, menacing by stalking, bribery, felonious assault, and domestic violence, Shaffer said.
During the ongoing investigations involving Randy Wilhelm, Shaffer said detectives had received information from multiple sources that he had a stockpile of firearms and ammunition. He had made threats that he would not be arrested and he had the skills to defend himself.
“Wilhelm was a well-known trap shooter and proficient marksman,” Shaffer said in Sunday’s press release. “We knew that a barricade situation was a likely possibility if he was on the fenced-in compound that includes three houses and several outbuildings.”
“Deputies had been preplanning and conducting surveillance in an attempt to maximize the likelihood of a safe and peaceful resolution. However, based on their actions, the brothers unfortunately did not appear to have any intention of being arrested,” he said.
According to Shaffer, on Friday, Aug. 19 at approximately 11:21 p.m., Knox County Dispatch received a call from a bail bondsman who said that his vehicle had been shot at multiple times by Randy Wilhelm.
The bondsman was attempting to apprehend Wilhelm, who had failed to appear in Knox County Common Pleas Court on a $100,000 bond. Deputies immediately requested assistance from outside agencies while responding to the scene.
An Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter provided assistance using night vision equipment. The pilots reported that two people were firing rifles in their direction from the Wilhelm property.
During the incident, a bulk propane truck was moved and parked next to one of the houses on the property. Shaffer said Randy Wilhelm had previously threatened to use the propane tanker as a bomb if law enforcement attempted to apprehend him.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Unit received assistance from the Mount Vernon Police ESU, Richland County ASORT, Delaware County Tactical Unit, Marysville SRT, Ohio State Highway Patrol SRT, and the OSHP Aviation Unit.
Law enforcement acted under a search warrant issued by the Mount Vernon Municipal Court for Randy Wilhelm and for firearms that Wilhelm was prohibited to possess.
Several of the agencies provided armored vehicles for the effort. Three of the vehicles were struck by gunfire from the two subjects.
Shaffer said the Knox County Sheriff’s Office has requested assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
