Police: Suspect in Fatal Police Shooting Had Gun

Alexandria police say a man who was shot and killed by officers Monday on Duke Street threatened officers who were responding to a domestic dispute with a gun.

Police spokeswoman Ashley Hildebrandt said police were called to the 3400 block of Duke Street, near the intersection with North Quaker Lane, at approximately 2 p.m. Someone involved in the domestic dispute had called 911, Hildebrandt said.

Hildebrand said she did not know what officers encountered when they arrived on the scene but that the man had a gun.

“That’s what we’re looking into,” she said. “They did encounter a suspect with a weapon, and that resulted in a fatal police-involved shooting, but more than that is under investigation.”

Also, the department’s Criminal Investigations Section and Internal Investigations Unit are conducting investigations into the shooting.

Melinda Fields Sigal, a West End resident who was picking up a friend in the area shortly after 1:30 p.m., said she saw police with guns drawn near an apartment or condominium complex on Duke Street. She told Patch she heard multiple shots fired.

“You could tell there was a lot of panic in the air,” Sigal said. “You could tell the police were trying to protect everyone.”

Sigal said she had just picked up her friend, Marshall Love, when he suddenly said, “Look at all the cops.” She said she saw police ready to fire.

Love, a resident of Temple Hills, Md., who was conducting business Monday in Alexandria, said he saw eight to 10 officers on the scene with guns drawn, including one officer with what appeared to be a rifle. He said he saw a woman try to walk toward the suspect and an officer with a shield that prevented her from entering the scene of the standoff.

“A person dropped the shield and then ran to the scene to restrain her,” Love said. “She was passionate about trying to get to the suspect, but couldn’t.”

Love said he saw the suspect fire a gun. Multiple officers returned fire, he said.

Hildebrandt said police are investigating whether the suspect fired a shot. No arrests were made on the scene, she said.

The incident occurred near the intersection with Arell Court, near Sunrise of Alexandria, a home for seniors. Duke Street remained shut down in both directions through Monday night.

Per departmental policy, the officers involved in the shooting have been put on administrative leave with pay during the investigation, according to the police department. Anyone who witnessed or has information regarding the incident is asked to call the Alexandria Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Section at 703-746-6711.