One person died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and a Sheriff’s deputy was injured in Avery County on Friday, August 4th. According to the Avery County Sheriff’s Department, on Thursday, August 3rd, at approximately 2:59 p.m., Avery County Communications received a call from the Veterans Crisis Hotline and Mountain Home Veterans Hospital indicating an individual had called in threatening to commit suicide and they needed a Welfare Check conducted at the individual’s residence. The caller identified the individual who needed to be checked on as Richard Edward Cousins, Jr. age 62, of 115 Pat V Eller Lane, Newland. Cousins had also called Compassionate Hearts, with similar statements about committing suicide. Officers visited the residence and were met with resistance. according to Avery County Sheriff Mike Henley, ” Initially we had two patrol officers who responded there, So we went down there to do a welfare check, two uniformed deputies did, and when they encountered him he was aggressive.” Responding deputies immediately attempted to de-escalate the situation and were unsuccessful. The incident swiftly evolved into a tactical mission with numerous assisting agencies responding to assist. An eight-hour standoff ensued which lasted until the early morning hours of August 4th. During the multi-hour standoff one Avery County Sheriff’s Office Deputy received non-life-threatening injuries from Cousins’ gunfire. Cousins died in the early morning hours of August 4, at Mission Hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Henley stated that he left the scene of the incident at approximately 4 a.m. on Friday morning, and that the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was continuing with Avery County Sheriff’s Office in processing the scene and collecting necessary information for an additional couple of hours afterward. According to Henley, Hickory Nut Gap Road was blocked off for several hours Thursday evening at Newland Presbyterian Church on the Newland side as well as at Sam Brewer Road on the Banner Elk side of the road for several hours overnight, and Avery County Sheriff’s Department ran command of the scene and incident involving agencies with several counties.
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