CITY OF FAIRFAX — An officer-involved shooting is under investigation after a City of Fairfax police officer shot a person armed with a knife outside a Wawa early Saturday morning.
The shooting happened just after midnight at the Wawa located at 9700 Fairfax Boulevard. The individual was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. No officers or members of the public were injured.
According to the City of Fairfax Police Department, officers responded to the convenience store at approximately 12:07 a.m. on July 11 after receiving a report of a person armed with a knife.
When officers arrived, they encountered the individual standing just inside the front entrance of the business while holding a knife. Police said officers repeatedly ordered the person to drop the weapon, but those commands were not followed.
The individual then exited the store while still holding the knife. During the encounter outside the business, one officer discharged their department-issued firearm, striking the individual.
After the shooting, officers immediately began rendering medical aid until Fairfax City Fire and Rescue personnel arrived. The individual was then transported to a local hospital with injuries that police described as life-threatening.
Police said no officers or civilians were injured during the incident.
As is standard procedure following an officer-involved shooting, the officer who fired their weapon has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The investigation has been turned over to the Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team, a regional task force that investigates officer-involved shootings and other critical incidents involving law enforcement agencies across Northern Virginia. The team’s findings will be reviewed as part of the investigative process.
Authorities have not released the identity of the individual who was shot, and no additional information about what led to the initial 911 call has been made public. It is also unclear whether anyone inside the store was threatened before officers arrived.
The City of Fairfax Police Department said additional information, including the identity of the individual, will be released as it becomes available.
The investigation remains active.
