Active Shooter on Interstate 79 Killed by Law Enforcement 

On June 16, 2022, at around 1045 AM, Deputies and Police officers responded to an active shooter on Interstate 79 near Exit – 99. The Director of Emergency Management for Upshur county called in the threat. While driving home from Clarksburg, WV, he spotted the shooter opening fire on passing motorists and called in the threat. Officers from all over the region responded to take down the shooter.  

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was the first on the scene, with Weston Police Department arriving shortly after. The West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Elkins Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, and Randolph County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist. 

Lewis County Deputies attempted first to contact the shooter, supported by the other agencies on the scene. The shooter was later identified as a Pennsylvania man named Matthew Brevoksy. As the deputies and officers approached Matthew, he decided to open fire on them. 

From there, a gun battle ensued between law enforcement and Matthew. During the exchange, Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Coffman was struck by one of the shooter’s rounds. Deputy Coffman’s injuries were not life-threatening, and he was moved to a nearby hospital. However, the shooter was shot by law enforcement during the ensuing gun battle and died on the scene. 

Deputy Coffman was rushed to the hospital, and his injuries were treated at Stonewall Jackson Hospital. Upshur County Sheriff Virgil D. Miller spoke about Deputy Coffman’s injuries:

“He’s going to be okay. They repaired his muscle damage.” 

Sheriff Miller also confirmed that the shooter was shot and killed on the scene by law enforcement. He went on to speak about the response:

“I think it was an outstanding response. We had the DNR there, State Police there, Upshur and Harrison County, and Lewis County Deputies and Weston PD.”

The only fatality during this active shooter was the shooter himself. No motorists have been reported as injured during the shooting, and Deputy Coffman is expected to recover fully. So at the end of the day, everyone involved with the response could return home to their families. 

During the initial investigation of the scene, that section of interstate was closed until around 1700 that evening. The West Virginia Department of Highways was there to assist in the road closure. For now, there is no stated or assumed reason why the shooter decided to open fire on motorists. However, an autopsy has been ordered to see if that may shed any light on the subject. The West Virginia State Police are heading up the ongoing investigation. 

Lewis County Sheriff Dave Gosa had this to say about the incident:

“People think these things don’t happen in small-town West Virginia, but they do.” 

Stay on your toes out there.