Culpeper deputy kills armed man who fatally shot elderly neighbor

CULPEPER, Va. (AP) -- A man who assaulted his estranged wife and fatally shot her neighbor was killed by a deputy sheriff after threatening officers with a gun, Virginia State Police said Wednesday.

Willis N. Walker Jr., 49, of Culpeper got into an argument with his estranged wife Tuesday night, and the woman ran to a neighbor's house for refuge, police said in a news release. They said Walker followed the 51-year-old woman and forced his way inside the house, where he shot the 74-year-old neighbor. He then searched the house and "violently assaulted" his estranged wife, police said.

A 70-year-old woman in the house hid and called 911. State police say that when Culpeper County deputies arrived, Walker came outside and threatened them with a shotgun. A deputy shot Walker after the man refused orders to drop the gun and advanced toward the officers, police said. Walker died at the scene.

State police said Walker was black, and the deputy who shot him was white.

Walker's estranged wife was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The woman who called 911 was not injured. Names of the women and the neighbor who was killed were not released.

State police are investigating both shootings.