More than 1,000 weapons and 140,000 rounds of ammunition recovered after standoff left two brothers dead

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (AP) — State authorities say more than 1,000 firearms and more than 140,000 rounds of ammunition have been seized from an Ohio property where a weekend standoff ended with law enforcement shooting and killing two brothers.

Local authorities said Randy Wilhelm, 56, and Bradley Wilhelm, 53, fired handguns at law enforcement vehicles during the standoff, and one of the brothers threatened to blow up a propane tank rather than be captured.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office said the standoff began shortly before 11:30 p.m. Friday when the person in charge reported being shot at multiple times in his car while trying to pull over Randy Wilhelm.

Randy Wilhelm was released on $100,000 bail but failed to appear for an Aug. 2 arraignment in U.S. District Court in 2020 on charges including intimidation, threats to stalk, bribery, aggravated assault and domestic violence, Columbus reports Dispatch.

Authorities said they received multiple reports that Wilhelm, a known trap shooter and experienced marksman, had a cache of firearms and ammunition and was determined to resist arrest.

Several agencies provided armored vehicles, and the two suspects fired at three of them, authorities said. Sergeant Brice Nihiser of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the suspects fired at the state patrol helicopter but missed it, the newspaper reported.

Authorities said a propane truck was moved near one of the homes on the property during the standoff, and they alleged Randy Wilhelm had previously threatened to use the tanker as a bomb if law enforcement tried to apprehend him.

Law enforcement officers shot both men shortly before 9:30 a.m. Saturday as they allegedly drove in a pickup truck toward officers outside an armored vehicle, officials said. According to them, two more people were safely evacuated.

Sheriff David Shafer said his office had planned and observed to try to reach an amicable settlement, but “based on their actions, the brothers unfortunately did not intend to be arrested.”

The state attorney general’s office said Monday that officers are executing a search warrant for Randy Wilhelm and seizing all firearms found on the property. The office’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation seized more than 1,000 firearms and more than 140,000 rounds of ammunition from the property, officials said.

“The firearms are primarily sporting rifles and hunting caliber rifles,” officials said in a statement Monday. “Most of the ammunition is target ammunition for shooting down the gangways.”

The bureau is investigating the shooting.