Virginia

3 Found Dead Inside Northern Virginia Home After Barricade Involving Armed Suspect

Two officers were injured in the incident, although it's not yet clear how they were injured

What to Know

  • Two men and a woman dead inside the home in the 6100 block of Wicklow Drive in Burke, Virginia
  • Officers arrived to find an armed man and exchanged gunfire with him, they said
  • Two officers were injured in the incident, although it's not yet clear how they were injured

Police believe a man killed his mother and nephew before taking his own life inside a Northern Virginia home, authorities said.

Fairfax County Police said were called to the home in the 6100 block of Wicklow Drive in Burke about 9:10 p.m. Monday for a report of shots fired and a domestic dispute.

Police Chief Edwin Roessler said later that 36-year-old Marcellus William Bounds IV threatened to kill three family members and they all scrambled for a place to hide in the home.

Roessler said Bounds shot and killed his mother, 67-year-old Patricia Marie Bounds, in a bedroom. The suspect then found his nephew, 19-year-old Sean Patrick Bailes, in a bathroom and immediately shot him, killing him.

Another woman in the home called police as the shooting was happening, police said. 

"There is evidence of an apparent ongoing family issue that escalated in the suspect using deadly force upon his relatives," Roessler said.

Neighbors said the woman who lived in the house was raising two teenage boys, although it was unclear if she was their mother or another relative. They said she was a nice woman and they were stunned and shocked by the tragedy.

"We were just watching lots of officers running up the street, lots of guns," said neighhbor Sarah Wierschke.

Police said that when officers arrived, a man fired shots at them. One shotgun round struck a ballistic shield that officers were using, and shrapnel hit several officers, injuring two.

One officer returned fire multiple times before the suspect retreated deeper into the home, Roessler said. Authorities then declared a hostage/barricade event and activated a SWAT team and negotiators.

"Attempts to negotiate with the suspect were not successful, and therefore we deployed various tactical methods and resources through the SWAT team to tactically the home to search for the victims and the suspect," Roessler said.

When SWAT officers got inside, they found two victims, a man and a woman, dead in the house.

They also found the suspect dead, with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Roessler said. However, the medical examiner will determine a cause and manner of death.

"We did fire several rounds to stop his deadly force, so that's yet to be determined," Roessler said, later adding, "It was apparent at the scene that there was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the medical examiner will make that determination."

The injured officers were treated at a hospital and released.

Police said there was no further threat to public safety.

The identity of the victims will be released after family is notified. 

Authorities are conducting a homicide investigation regarding the suspect. In addition, Fairfax County Police are conducting both criminal and administrative investigations as prescribed by policy due to the use of force, Roessler said. He said the "brave veteran" officer who returned fire at the suspect has been reassigned to administrative duties, as is protocol.

"It's important to note the trauma that all of us have been exposed to in this tragedy, and we continue to pray for all involved as they will forever recover for the rest of their lives from this event," Roessler said.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 provides people in distress, or those around them, with 24-hour support. The Crisis Text Line allows people to text 'Home' to 741-741 to connect with crisis counselors.

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