The suspect who was shot by police at the Rosslyn Metro station early Tuesday evening has died.
Arlington County police announced the still-unidentified suspect’s death in a press release Wednesday afternoon.
The incident started around 3:45 p.m. when employees at the nearby Safeway store on Wilson Blvd called police to report a man who allegedly pulled a knife on them. The suspect was spotted by officers at the Metro station entrance around 4:15 p.m., leading to a confrontation and physical struggle in which the man “removed a knife from his person” and “one officer discharged their firearm, striking the suspect,” according to ACPD.
“Following the shooting, officers rendered lifesaving measures before medics transported him to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased,” ACPD said. “His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.”
The shooting is being investigated by the regional Critical Incident Response Team, which was created in 2021 to investigate officer-involved shootings and other incidents in which someone is hurt or killed during a law enforcement action.
The two officers involved were taken to the hospital after the shooting; one had what was described as a non-life-threatening injury. Both have been released and are now on “routine administrative leave” during the investigation, police said.
More, below, from the ACPD press release.
The regional Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is investigating an Arlington County Police Department officer-involved shooting at the entrance to the Rosslyn Metro Station.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. on December 10, police were dispatched to the report of a suspicious person inside a business in the 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard. The preliminary investigation indicates the adult male suspect engaged employees in conversation during which he displayed a knife from his pocket before leaving the scene.
Two responding officers located an individual matching the suspect description on the top floor of the Rosslyn Metro Station. During their attempt to detain the suspect, the suspect removed a knife from his person. A physical altercation ensued while the suspect was in possession of the knife, and one officer discharged their firearm, striking the suspect. Following the shooting, officers rendered lifesaving measures before medics transported him to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
A knife was recovered at the scene.
The two officers were transported to an area hospital; one with non-life-threatening injuries and one for medical evaluation and both have since been released. In accordance with department policy, the officers have been placed on routine administrative leave. Following completion of the investigation by CIRT, the investigative file will be forwarded to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for independent review.
This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
