Man in standoff had assaulted woman at Abbe Center

William Null, the man who shot himself to death early Wednesday after a standoff with sheriff's deputies at the Abbe Center, faced a bench trial next week stemming from an assault there last summer, court documents said.

Null, 63, was charged with a simple misdemeanor count of assault for “grabbing the victim's skirt while bending over to look under (her) skirt” June 19, according to the complaint. A bench trial was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner said today Null didn't have a permit for the pistol he shot himself with about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday near the south entrance to the Abbe Center for Community Care, 1860 County Home Rd., Marion. Deputies were called to the center, which provides residential treatment to adults with psychiatric, developmental, or medical conditions, about two hours earlier after staff reported Null was armed with a handgun.

Gardner said the investigation is continuing into how Null obtained the gun and brought it into the center. Staff had patted Null down when he returned to the center.