Three people, including a sheriff’s deputy, were shot on Saturday at Dulles Crossing Plaza in Sterling by a man who took off in a stolen vehicle before finally being arrested in Chantilly, deputies said.
All three victims suffered serious but not fatal injuries and were transported to a hospital, according to public information officer Kraig Troxell of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
At a press conference, Sheriff Mike Chapman explained that around 5 pm, a man was being taken to a Walmart security office by two security guards on suspicion of theft.
He drew a gun and started shooting when the police arrived to take him into custody, Chapman said. Security guards and one of the deputies were shot.
The other unharmed policeman responded to the fire and hit the sniper, who managed to escape from the back of Walmart and steal a truck with keys in it, Chapman said.
The sniper took off with LCOS MPs and Fairfax County officials in pursuit, before hitting Willard Road and fleeing on foot.
After a massive search of Willard’s block 13000, the suspect was found and taken into custody, reports Julie Carey of News4.
On Saturday morning, the LCSO was also investigating an armed bank robbery at the mall, but Chapman said the events appear to be unrelated.