Support Austen Herbert's Legal Battle and New Beginning

Hello there. I am Austen Herbert, an environmental engineering major at Shepherd University.

On May 9th, 2025, my roommate came home drunk from a Capitals game at 1 a.m. He verbally and physically assaulted me. This resulted in multiple injuries on my behalf. As I defended myself, he threatened to charge me with assault and battery. He called the cops and tried to press charges against me. After realizing that I could press charges as well and send both of us to jail, he dropped the charges and filed an FPO against me. This forced me out of my home and has prevented me from gaining possession of my belongings.

I've tried to share my side of the story with the cops, but they refuse to listen to me. The cops are trying to scare me into not pressing charges, but I am not afraid. This is absolute injustice. After the cops left my home and told me I could return to my room, they called a magistrate to wake up and help my roommate file an FPO against me while he was drunk. I complied and left my home. They told me I could request an escort in the morning to gather my belongings. In the morning, I called the sheriff's office, and they refused to give me an escort.

As I endured the mistreatment of the Jefferson County Police Department, I decided to file a report and press charges against my roommate at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. They responded with threats of my roommate pressing charges against me as well, which would force them to file a warrant for both of our arrests. Again, I am not afraid. The police from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office proceeded to inform me that I will have to turn myself in on Monday, May 12th. I have photos, and the police have photos of my injuries. The police told me that my roommate has a fractured collarbone from the incident, which they were able to determine at 2/3 a.m. without a doctor, nurse, hospital, or any medical attention. They do not have any photos of his injuries or any medical records.

I have been friends with my roommate for years, and I would never hurt him nor lay a hand on him, and I did not. He does not have a scratch, a fractured collarbone, nor a mark on his body, and I have a witness to the entire incident. The cops still refuse to listen to me and my witness. They told me, "I hope you have a good lawyer," before hanging up on me and threatening to arrest me if I press charges. I am in a lot of pain with bruises all over my body and head, but I am still unafraid

I will be turning myself in this Monday after Mother's Day because I do not believe that anyone should get away with committing a crime. I am fighting injustice and racism in West Virginia during the year 2025, and I want the world to know.

I am starting a GoFundMe to raise money so that I can get a "good lawyer," gather all of my belongings, and find a new home near Shepherd University to finish my degree. Anything will help me attempt to receive justice and find a new, safe home to live in. Thank you all for your consideration. God bless.