Police: Loudoun County Officer Fatally Shot Man Holding 2 Knives

A police officer in Loudoun County, Virginia, fatally shot a man early Friday after the man advanced toward the officer with two knives, police said.

The man, Johannes Melvin Wood, 58, was shot inside his home in Aldie, Virginia, which is about 8 miles northwest of Chantilly.

Deputies were called to the 41400 block of Carriage Horse Drive about 4:45 a.m. for a domestic incident, police said. A woman said her brother was attacking her inside their home and damaging items.

"Complainant stating brother is having bad withdrawals from alcohol," a dispatcher told police.

"Be advised the subject has broken a door," the dispatcher says soon afterward. 

When the first deputy arrived in the neighborhood full of brand-new homes, Wood went to the front door holding two knives, police said. 

"He was ordered to drop by the knives by the deputy as he was advancing. The deputy ordered him several times to drop the knives," Sheriff Mike Chapman said.

"He didn't comply. The deputy fired a single shot, and the single shot later proved to be a fatal wound," Chapman said.

The officer feared for his life, the sheriff said the initial investigation indicates. 

Video footage taken from Chopper4 showed two large knives lying on the doormat of the home. 

Domestic incidents often are dangerous for police officers, Chapman said. 

"You never know what you are walking into. You don't know how serious it is," he said. 

Virginia State Police are investigating upon the request of the Loudoun County sheriff. Police did not release the deputy's name. He was placed on paid administrative leave, police spokesman Kraig Troxell told the Associated Press.

Neighbors said Wood had recently went door-to-door wearing a clown nose.

"He came by about a month ago with a red nose on, raising money for charity to send kids to a summer camp about clowns," neighbor Pranshu Patel said.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.

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