A Florida man was arrested while trespassing at a McLean, Virginia, preschool Tuesday, and officers seized two firearms from his vehicle, police said. Fairfax County police said one of the guns was an AK-47.
Eric Sandow, 32, allegedly approached the Dolley Madison Preschool about 11 a.m. Tuesday and asked to come inside and use the bathroom.
He was not allowed in, then wandered off.
A community member spotted him and called police to report a suspicious person.
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When officers found Sandow, he allegedly said he was going to talk to the CIA, Fairfax County police said. The agency’s headquarters is about a mile away from the preschool.
Sandow wasn’t armed when officers found him, and never made any threats, police said.
Officers detained Sandow, searched his vehicle and found two firearms. A photo released by police shows a long gun and a handgun, plus bullets and other firearm accessories.
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Sandow was charged with felony possession of a firearm on school property.
Sgt. Tara Gerhard, a member of the Fairfax County police’s Public Affairs Bureau said she understands the community’s concerns since Sandow was found so close to the CIA and a preschool.
“This did happen on school grounds which, as a mother, I would be very concerned — especially if my child attended that …preschool. So, we do want to reassure our community that this man did not make any threats,” Gerhard said.
The preschool’s director said that police would increase patrols around the school, and officers were seen near the school on Wednesday.
“Anytime there is an individual, or is on school property that’s unfamiliar, an alert should go up, and that’s what happened here,” Christine Ryu-Naya, a member of Dolley Madison Preschool’s board of directors, said.
“We’re really grateful that the Fairfax County police responded to quickly, and this wasn’t anything more than a stressful situation," Ryu-Naya said.
It wasn't immediately clear if Sandow had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.
