Man who fired gun near Herndon elementary school recovering after being hit by car

A man who reportedly fired shots near an elementary school in Herndon may have been drunk, police said in an update yesterday.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the man fired a handgun at Hutchinson Elementary School, where “a community event” was taking place.

“A man wearing a black jacket and blue jeans was reported to have discharged a handgun in the air and appeared to be intoxicated,” the FCPD said.

When police arrived at the scene shortly after 4 p.m., the man ran into the woods towards the Dulles Toll Road and was hit by a car. The man’s injuries are no longer life threatening, police said.

The driver of the 2015 Lexus that hit the man stayed on the scene of the incident. Police do not believe alcohol was a factor for the driver, but it does appear to be a factor for the man.

So far, police have obtained warrants for felony reckless discharge of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school and possessing a firearm on school grounds. The man’s name and mugshot will be released once warrants are served, the police department said.

The incident prompted the closure of the westbound lanes of the toll road. The FCPD’s canine unit found a handgun “in the wooded area along the path” where the man fled from police.

An administrative investigation is also underway by the FCPD’s internal affairs bureau.

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