Details Emerge in Herndon Hostage Situation That Ended in Police Shooting

Fairfax County Police say the man shot and killed Monday afternoon by law enforcement in Herndon lunged at officers with a knife.

It was the end of a two-hour barricade situation in the 13300 block of Covered Wagon Lane that began when police were called to the scene for a report of two men having been shot in a domestic incident. At about 2:40 p.m., officers from the Reston District responded to the residence, where they found the armed suspect had barricaded himself inside.

Other officers responded to the hospital, where the victims — a pair of brothers — had driven themselves.

Officers at the Covered Wagon Lane residence set up a perimeter to isolate the area and began evacuating neighbors. Police say their preliminary investigation reveals the man had fired several shots and started a fire inside the home. Officers later learned there was another man “trapped inside [who] could not escape.”

Members of the Crisis Negotiations Team and SWAT were called to assist. Police say they made several attempts to negotiate with the suspect and have him surrender.

From FCPD:

As smoke inundated the house and billowed out the windows, officers heard repeated gunshots. Officers also observed the suspect holding and moving around with at least one knife. Out of concern for the hostage and the suspect, officers made the decision to approach the home.

As they approached the front door, the suspect stepped outside armed with knife in hand and lunged toward the officers in an aggressive manner. Both less-lethal and deadly force were deployed. The suspect was shot. Officers immediately began rendering aid to him and he was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

WRC-TV’s news chopper recorded the incident, showing an officer throwing an apparent flash grenade into the open door before the suspect emerged.

The two initial victims are expected to survive, police say. The hostage was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the events and trying to determine the relationship between the victims and the suspect, who was identified Tuesday morning as 32-year-old Mohammad Azim Doudzai.

Suspect in yesterday's double shooting/barricade: 32-year-old Mohammad Azim Doudzai, We'll release additional details once confirmed.

— Fairfax Co. Police (@fairfaxpolice) January 17, 2017

The officer involved in the shooting is on routine administrative leave while the investigation is being conducted, police say. No responding officers were injured.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131, report an anonymous tip to Crime Solvers or text-a-tip by texting “TIP187” plus the message to CRIMES(274637).