Last night, August 12, 2024, Alexandria Police Officers responded at approximately 10:46 p.m. to a 911 call from a man asking police to check on the well-being of one of his co-workers. The caller stated he had made very concerning statements about harming himself and advised he was armed with at least two guns. Officers, including those with specialized crisis intervention and negotiation training, responded within three minutes and located the man who exited his apartment into a common area stairwell while holding a gun. The officers negotiated with the armed man for more than 35 minutes, all while attempting to de-escalate the situation. Through the course of the negotiation, the officers pleaded with the man numerous times to drop his weapon. In response to a threatening action, at approximately 11:21 p.m., one APD officer discharged their service weapon, striking the man. The man who was holding the gun, described as a white male in his 60s, was pronounced deceased at the scene. No other weapons were discharged, including the man’s weapon. Investigators are withholding the man’s name pending notification of next of kin. 

The APD officer, a nine-year veteran and current member of the department’s Special Operations Team, has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation is being conducted by a regional Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) comprised of investigators from other regional law enforcement agencies independent of APD.  

The investigation will be comprised of two elements: 

• First, CIRT will conduct a criminal use-of-force investigation.  

• Following this, the APD Office of Professional Responsibility will conduct an administrative inquiry monitored by the Office of the Alexandria Independent Policing Auditor and will coordinate a review of the results of the investigation with the Independent Police Review Board. 

The CIRT was established by Northern Virginia localities in 2021 to investigate critical incidents involving law enforcement officers. At the completion of its investigation, the CIRT may present evidence to the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office or other prosecuting authority for review. The Alexandria Independent Policing Auditor was also at the scene and will monitor the APD’s administrative investigation once the CIRT investigation has concluded. 

This is an ongoing investigation. Further updates will be made available as the investigation progresses. Anyone with information is asked to call the APD non-emergency line at 703-746-4444.