Virginia state senator, stabbed by son, released from hospital

A 2009 photo shows Gus Deeds, left, on election night with his father, Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds, who lost the Virginia governor's race that year.

By Michael Muskal

Nov. 22, 2013 1:41 PM PT

Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds left the hospital on Friday, three days after being stabbed repeatedly by his son, who then took his own life.

In his first public statement since Tuesday, when authorities say Deeds was stabbed by his son, Gus, who then shot himself, the senator acknowledged that some wounds won’t heal.

“I am alive so must live,” he said on Twitter. “Some wounds won’t heal. Your prayers and your friendship are important to me.”

Deeds, 55, was released Friday morning from the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. Earlier this week, police said that he had been stabbed “multiple times” by his 24-year-old son.

Media reports say that Gus Deeds suffered from mental problems and that an emergency custody order was sought on Monday. However, a psychiatric bed reportedly could not be found.

At least two investigations of that matter are underway, Virginia officials have said.

Deeds, a Democrat, was elected to the state Senate in 2001. He unsuccessfully ran for attorney general in 2005 and for governor in 2009.

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