Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds’ condition improved from critical to fair Tuesday afternoon after being stabbed in his home Tuesday morning,
Virginia State Police Public Relations Manager Corinne Geller said Deeds was involved in an altercation with his son Austin “Gus” Deeds, 24, that resulted in the senator’s stabbing.
Virginia and national Democratic sources told Fox News that Virginia law enforcement authorities allege Gus Deeds stabbed his father before fatally shooting himself.
After the altercation, the senator walked out of his home to a road where he was picked up by a family member and taken to a nearby farm, before being airlifted UVA Hospital in Charlottesville.
Police arrived at the home around 7:25 a.m. where they found Deeds’ son suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died at the scene while responders attempted to revive him.
During a Tuesday afternoon press conference officials announced they were not looking for another suspect in the incident, and state no one other than Creigh Deeds or Gus Deeds was in the home at the time of the incident.
Gus Deeds had undergone a mental health evaluation Monday after being held under a temporary detention order according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, but was released the same day when no available bed was found for him.
Virginia law enforcement told the Times-Dispatch they are still putting together the events that unfolded at the Deeds home in Bath County.
“Virginia State Police are on the scene of an assault of a state legislator that took place Tuesday morning,” a morning news release from the Virginia State Police said. “Senator Creigh Deeds has been transported to UVA Hospital in Charlottesville for treatment of serious injuries sustained in the assault at his residence.”
Deeds, a Democrat, has been the state senator of Virginia’s 25 District since 2001. The district includes his home of Bath County in Millboro.
Deeds, 55, previously ran for Virginia attorney general in 2005 and governor of Virginia in 2009, suffering defeat by Republican Bob McDonnell both times before winning a special election to his current post.
“In this tough and sad time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Deeds family. The news from this morning is utterly heartbreaking,” McDonnell said in statement released Tuesday.
This story was updated at 4:15 p.m.