BEDFORD COUNTY SHERIFF NEWS RELEASE: At 10:28 p.m. Monday night Bedford County 911 dispatchers received a call from a female who reported that she had received a text from her husband that he had taken a large amount of medication. The caller said she and her husband, Ralph Saunders were separated and he lived on Conner Lane. She also advised that he said that he would shoot the first person who arrived at his residence. Bedford County Sheriff’s Office TACT Team, Negotiators and Bedford County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched.
After arriving at the residence, deputies made contact with Saunders who refused to cooperate. On several occasions Saunders walked out on the front porch made gestures to the deputies and would go back into the house. At 12:03 a.m., Saunders opened a bedroom window yelled out, pointed his shotgun and discharged it. At 12:35 a.m., Saunders exited the house, unarmed, through the front door and walked towards his vehicle. At this time deputies took Saunders into custody on an Emergency Custody Order and transported him to a local hospital. At this time several criminal charges are pending against Ralph Saunders. This was the first call law enforcement had been called to this residence.
