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Update: One suspect in custody after shots fired from home at Fairfax Co. officers One suspect in custody after shots fired from home at Fairfax Co. officers
(about 4 hours later)
Shots were fired at Fairfax County police officers as they arrived for a report of a suspicious event at a Franconia home Wednesday evening, authorities said. Shots were fired at Fairfax County police officers Wednesday evening as they arrived for a report of a burglary at a home in the Franconia area, launching a standoff between a gunman and officers, and ending with police firing non-lethal weapons to apprehend a suspect.
The officers were not hurt, the police department said on Twitter. None of the officers were struck.
One suspect is in custody, authorities said around 6:20 p.m. Officers were called to a home in the 6200 block of Larkspur Drive shortly before 5 p.m. A gunman emerged from the residence and fired toward two officers, Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler said at a news conference Wednesday night.
Officers were called to the home in the 6200 block of Larkspur Drive around 5 p.m. As they approached, gunshots came from inside the residence in the direction of the officers, police said. It was not clear precisely what prompted the call. Police were able to take cover from the shots as the alleged gunman retreated inside the home, where he lives.
Authorities have established a perimeter and investigators asked residents to remain inside. Authorities said the man called police and reported that a hostage was being held inside the house, and police believed they were responding to a burglary. The gunman’s motive was not clear.
Later, the suspect — who Roessler said is 19 — negotiated with call takers until SWAT units arrived.
About an hour later, the man walked out the front door again, armed with the handgun he had fired at officers and a long gun that appeared to be an assault rifle, Roessler said.
The man was ordered to drop the weapons. “Initially, he dropped the long gun, but refused commands to drop the handguns,” Roessler said. He added that the gunman moved toward officers outside.
Officers fired foam projectiles and bean bags, and the gunman dropped to the ground. A police dog subdued the suspect and officers arrested him, Roessler said.
The chief added that the man was being treated at a hospital for a dog bite and other minor injuries.
Authorities established a perimeter around the dwelling and the situation was resolved shortly after 7 p.m.
Investigators asked residents to remain inside throughout the event and shut down traffic in the area.
Authorities did not immediately charge the man. The long gun appeared to be a replica of an assault rife, Roessler said.
“There is no way officers could tell if it was a fake when they are being fired upon,” he said.
Roessler praised officers’ work to avoid a deadly outcome in a potentially life threatening situation.
“They isolated the event, they contained it, they slowed it down,” Roessler said. “Preserving human life is our priority. Our goal is to mitigate, negotiate ... obviously that doesn't always happen, but in this case it did.”