A 27-year-old man who allegedly shot at police officers and state troopers was arrested Thursday after leading police on a daylong search across two Virginia counties, authorities said.
Arlington County police first encountered Ricardo Singleton when he pulled up in front of the Arlington County courthouse and police headquarters about 9 a.m., police said. He allegedly parked in a crosswalk, waved down two sheriff’s deputies, showed them a gun and drove away.
The deputies got in a car and followed Singleton to a nearby garage where he told them he needed help, police said.
As the deputies tried to take him into custody, Singleton got back into his car and sped away, police said.
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The deputies followed and saw him crash into parked cars but lost track of him, police said.
Arlington County police identified Singleton and filed charges for eluding police, brandishing a weapon and hit-and-run, police said.
Police found him again on S. Wakefield Street near Columbia Pike about 8:15 p.m. and pursued him.
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Singleton struck several cars before crashing at Graham Road on US 50, a busy intersection with gas stations and restaurants and pedestrians.
He fired shots at officers and ran from the scene, police said.
“Just recklessly fired several rounds at our police officers, and our state troopers,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said. “It’s an absolute miracle no one was struck and injured or killed."
He was located and taken into custody without incident.
Police said he used a semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine. Chief Davis says one Fairfax County police officer returned fire on Singleton during the chaos and that shooting is now under review.
