From the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office:
On 07/01/2021 at 2PM Deputies assisted Orange County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and US Marshall’s in an attempt to locate a wanted subject in the 13700 block of West Catharpin Road in the western part of Spotsylvania County. The subject had active warrants through Dinwiddie County Sheriff’s Office, Colonial Heights Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office for multiple offenses to include firearms, larceny and probation violations.
While Deputies and Detectives were on the scene attempting to serve the warrants, the lone occupant of the home fired multiple shots towards law enforcement. One deputy returned fire and the suspect then barricaded himself in the home. Additional shots were then fired by the suspect at deputies who had set up a perimeter outside the home.
No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting. Over the next eight hours’ negotiators tried to convince the suspect to surrender peacefully. The suspect made statements to law enforcement that he was in possession of several improvised explosive devices. The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s office received assistance from the Virginia State Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Tactical Team throughout the incident.
At approximately 10:00PM the suspect made statements to the negotiators and set fire to the home while still refusing to surrender. Due to the threat of improvised explosives and heavy fire conditions the suspect was unable to be rescued by tactical team members. At approximately 12:00PM Friday, human remains were found inside the burned structure. The remains will be sent to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia for further investigation and positive identification.
Detectives are being assisted by the Spotsylvania Fire Rescue Emergency Management Fire Marshall’s Office in the investigation. The name of the deceased will be released once identification is made by the medical examiner. The officer who discharged his firearm has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
