Charleston - Huntington, West Virginia -- WOWK -- 13News2 South Charleston police officers on paid leave

Investigators said the ordeal started as a disturbance in South Charleston.  At that point Ransbottom made his way to his apartment in Cross Lanes, and neighbors heard gunshots.

"I was asleep.  It was about 1 a.m. and I heard read loud pop, pop, pop like that," said a neighbor who did not want to be identified.

Another neighbor, Doug Johnston of Cross Lanes had been home from work for about an hour.

"I was eating and I heard pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow.  I stuck my head out the door then I started thinking this is kind of dumb.  If someone is out there shooting I don't need to be coming outside," said Johnston.

Johnston said that part of Cross Lanes is usually peaceful and quiet.

"It was a little scary.  They weren't real loud because I guess not a high-powered rifle or high-powered gun it didn't sound like.  That's why I thought it might be firecrackers," said Johnston.

Investigators said the victim, Tommy Gene Ransbottom II, 40, headed back to South Charleston.  Police officers pulled him over and all evening they said he was making threats against law enforcement.

"He openly indicated to his father and sister both that he intended for the police to kill him and was on a mission to have that accomplished," said Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford.

After showing restraint throughout the ordeal, Rutherford said officers to the side of Ransbottom saw he had a gun.

"When he pulled it up and pointed it at them, and that's when they defended themselves," said Rutherford.

Rutherford said throughout the ordeal Ransbottom's sister and father tried to get him to surrender to police.

Meanwhile, Kanawha County Prosecutor Mark Plants said at this point it looks like a justified shooting, but he promises a thorough investigation that could take several weeks to complete.