A Fairfax County police officer shot and wounded a man late Sunday after an hour of on-scene negotiations outside a home on Church Way, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Officers were called around 10:13 p.m. Sept. 28 for a report of a person in crisis who was using a chainsaw and ax to destroy items inside a residence. Police said they found the man outside, acting erratically and drinking alcohol. Crisis Intervention Team–trained officers tried to calm him for nearly an hour.
During the encounter, the man retreated into a garage, picked up a portable propane hand torch, and then retrieved a handgun, racked the slide, and tucked it into his waistband, police said. Despite repeated commands to disarm, he refused.
First, officers fired two beanbag shots that weren’t deadly. Police said that when the man still didn’t listen, a six-year veteran on the Crisis Intervention Team discharged her service weapon and hit him in the lower body. Officers gave medical help until the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue team got there. The man was hurt but not life-threatening and was taken to the hospital. After he got better, he was put on a Temporary Detention Order.
The officer has been placed on restricted duty under department policy while the Major Crimes Bureau conducts a criminal investigation. Police said body-worn camera video will be released within 30 days in line with policy, and investigative findings will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. An administrative review by the Internal Affairs Bureau is also underway, along with oversight from the Independent Police Auditor. The officer’s name is expected to be released within 10 days.
All details are preliminary and may be updated as the investigation moves forward, the FCPD said.
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