POSEY COUNTY, Ind. — A southwestern Indiana man accused of shooting a Posey County sheriff's deputy in September has died from COVID-19.
The Warrick County coroner said 70-year-old Paul Wiltshire died Monday, Dec. 27 from natural causes due to COVID-19.
On Sept. 18, Indiana State Police officers responded to a welfare check just before 7 p.m. in New Harmony when Wiltshire allegedly started firing a weapon toward the officers.
The officers returned fire, but Posey County Deputy Bryan Hicks, 41, was shot and critically injured during the exchange of gunfire, according to ISP.
ISP provided an update that night and said Hicks was being treated at the hospital after he was shot in the head.
Wiltshire was also struck by gunfire. He was released from the hospital a few days later and arrested for the attempted murder of Hicks.
According to NBC affiliate WFIE, Hicks returned to Evansville Dec. 20 for additional treatment.
“He’s worked hard,” Hicks' father, Keith, told WFIE. “When he first got there, [there was] no movement in the right leg, no movement in the right arm, but now he’s able to use them. He can function with them. He can walk.”
Wiltshire had been in custody at the Warrick County Jail but was taken to Deaconess Gateway Hospital on Friday, Dec. 17 after becoming sick.
ISP will investigate Wiltshire’s death, which is common when an inmate dies in custody.
Posey County is roughly 190 miles southwest of downtown Indianapolis.
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