Jun 24, 2016 3 min read

State police are continuing to investigate the shooting in Mt. Morris that left a West Virginia man dead Thursday afternoon, but declined to offer new details into what led to the incident.

Dustin Lee Miller, 33, of Parkersburg, who witnesses said was beating on cars and threatening drivers, was shot by the driver of one of the vehicles he stopped on Locust Avenue about 4:45 p.m.

Miller was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:10 p.m. by Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis. Lewis said an autopsy was completed Friday morning by Dr. Cyril Wecht in Pittsburgh to determine the cause of death, although the report was not immediately released.

Police said Miller was traveling to West Virginia with his mother for a mental health evaluation when he became irate. He parked and exited the vehicle and jumped in front of a passing pickup truck and began to damage it. The driver of the pickup, Cam Ray Lemley, 66, of Core, W.Va., got out of his vehicle with a revolver and engaged Miller in an argument, which led to the shooting, police said.

“Obviously, it was a horrific tragedy that took place (Thursday) afternoon and we are continuing to investigate it,” state police Sgt. Steven Dowlin said Friday.

Dowlin declined to comment further on the incident, saying only “we will leave no stone unturned.” After police complete their investigation, they will discuss the findings with District Attorney Marjorie Fox.

Fox said Friday it was still too early to make a decision on whether any charges would be filed. She declined to say if the shooting appears to fall under state’s Castle Doctrine law that gives citizens the right to protect themselves with lethal force in their homes or vehicles if they perceive a threat to their lives.

“I think it’s too soon to say,” Fox said. “I think (state police) have to go through everything with the investigation first so we don’t prejudge the case.”

Witnesses said they saw Miller beating on the pickup truck and eventually jump on its hood and into its bed. Prior to that, witnesses said, Miller kicked and threw a potted plant at a small SUV backing out of a driveway onto Locust and threatened several people.

Though the nature of the incident was reported as a homicide, police said it appeared the shooting was justified. After consulting with the district attorney’s office, Lemley was released, police said.