Police: Man shot brother in mother’s defense
CLARKSVILLE – Christopher Griedel was attacking his mother with a golf club Thursday afternoon when his younger brother, Ryan Griedel, shot him once with a .22-caliber revolver, killing him at the scene, according to three search warrants filed by state police.
Rene Griedel, the mother of the brothers, told state police Christopher, 30, “had been drinking and acting erratically” at the family’s home, 120 North St. in Clarksville, according to the warrants.
According to the warrants, Christopher was breaking windows with a golf club and attempting to strike family members shortly after noon.
“As Christopher Griedel is trying to strike Rene Griedel with the golf club through a front screen door window, Ryan Griedel used a .22 revolver and fired a single shot at Christopher Griedel,” police wrote in the warrants.
Police said the bullet struck Christopher under his left armpit. He was pronounced dead at the scene outside the house by Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis.
Ryan, 29, was detained at the scene by troopers and taken to the state police barracks in Waynesburg, according to the warrants. No charges have been filed against Ryan as of Friday afternoon, according to online court records.
The search warrants were filed Thursday afternoon at the office of District Judge Glenn Bates, and police conducted their searches about four hours after the fatal shooting. The warrants allowed police to search the family’s North Street home, a car belonging to Rene and Ryan Griedel, and the clothing Ryan was wearing Thursday at the time of the incident. They seized the gun that was used and one empty shell casing, DNA samples, golf clubs and gunshot residue, among other items.
State police investigators and Greene County District Attorney Marjorie Fox both declined to discuss the case.
It was not immediately known when an autopsy would be conducted.
Thursday’s incident was the second time this month that Christopher engaged in a fight with his family. Relatives had called Cumberland Township police to his South Pine Street residence Dec. 3 because Christopher was “upset and intoxicated” and they were concerned he might harm himself, according to court documents filed in another case.
That day, Christopher was arrested and taken to WHS-Greene hospital for a mental-health evaluation. Police said he had punched and bit one officer and grabbed another officer’s uniform while in the patrol car. He was facing charges of aggravated assault, escape and terroristic threats among others, although he had not been arraigned.
It was not known why Christopher hadn’t been arraigned on the pending charges after his release from WHS-Greene hospital and Cumberland Township police could not be reached for comment Friday to discuss the case.