What started as a traffic stop on the afternoon of April 23 took a deadly turn.
A driver shot two Fairfax County police officers and was then shot and killed by a third officer on the scene. The incident took place in the 4000 block of Majestic Lane near the Greenbriar Shopping Center.
In a press conference held after the incident, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the driver was a 36-year-old male who lived “right down the street” from the scene of the shooting. Police had stopped the driver for speeding and he became argumentative. “He refuses to identify himself, he refuses to produce any identification whatsoever. He does tell the police officer that he is armed,” Davis said.
During the encounter, the driver took a gun out of his holster and shot two officers on the driver side of his car, striking them both in the arm, according to Davis. Both officers were treated at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital for their injuries, which were not life-threatening.
As the driver opened fire, a third officer standing on the passenger side of the vehicle shot and killed him.
Davis said he had viewed body camera and dashcam footage from the FCPD officers and vehicles on scene.
“So if I appear to be speaking with a degree of certainty, it’s because I am certain. I’m certain that these officers are lucky to be alive. I’m certain that they were fired upon by a gunman whose intention was to kill them. And I’m certain that the bravery exhibited by the third officer on the scene ultimately saved their lives,” Davis said.
The shooting happened just hours after Davis had held a press conference about a morning stabbing incident at West Potomac High School. A 15-year-old male at the Alexandria school was arrested for stabbing a 16-year-old. The student has been charged with malicious wounding.
Feature image courtesy FCPD/Facebook
