Morgantown man accused of shooting girlfriend

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A Morgantown man is facing malicious assault charges after allegedly shooting his girlfriend in their home on Cassville-Mt. Morris Road.

When deputies arrived they found the female victim with a gunshot wound to the shoulder and a bloody nose. When questioned, the woman would not tell deputies what happened.

After finding a trail of blood leading to the bedroom, police found a handgun and requested a search warrant.

The woman’s boyfriend, Richard Shanan Jr, 45, was allegedly overheard by neighbors telling the victim “tell them I didn’t shoot you” before police arrived.

Shanan told police initially he wanted to kill the woman, then changed his story and said the shot was fired as he was taking the gun away from her.

Shanan is being held at the North Central Regional Jail.