Virginia Police Say Gunman Was Targeting Them
By MARIA NEWMAN
The police in Fairfax, Va., said today that the teenager who opened fire outside one of their police stations on Monday, killing one detective and injuring two others, had recently been arrested on carjacking charges and was on a mission to hurt police officers.
The young man, identified as Michael W. Kennedy, 18, of nearby Centreville, Va., was heavily armed when he entered the parking lot of the Sully District Police Station in western Fairfax and began firing, the police said today.
He died in the exchange of gunfire with the police, law enforcement officials said at a televised news briefing this morning.
"He was very determined and he was intently targeting police officers when he went to that police station and he opened fire on police officers," saidMaj. Bob Callahan, commander of the Police Department's criminal investigations bureau. "I don't think there was any hesitation yesterday of what his intent was."
The detective who died in the gunfire, Vicky O. Armel, 40, was a nine-year veteran of the department whose husband is also a detective. It was the first fatal shooting of a Fairfax officer in the line of duty in the department's history.
Another officer, whose name has not yet been released, was also shot and was reported in critical condition today after undergoing surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital, officials said. The third officer was treated for minor injuries.
"I ask your forbearance," Police Chief David Rohrer said, his voice breaking. "This is a very difficult investigation for us. It's a complex investigation."
Major Callahan said the gunman, who had at least five pistols, an AK-47 rifle and a high-powered hunting rifle and two handguns, fired at least 70 rounds, but the department is still trying to determine how many shots the officers fired back at him.
According to police accounts, the harrowing episode on Monday began at about 3:30 p.m., when Mr. Kennedy entered the parking lot after driving to the station in a stolen vehicle.
He crouched between two vehicles and began firing, the police said, and three officers who were there at the time began firing back. Others soon joined them.
Major Callahan said the gunman seemed to be firing indiscriminately.
"It looks to us that he was just looking in that parking lot for as many victims as he could find," he said.
Major Callahan said that in the exchange of gunfire, a driver in a passing car was also hit. "He suffered a minor injury, probably from glass breakage," he said.
Even after Mr. Kennedy was shot, the police closed off the area to traffic as they tried to determine if there were other shooters involved in the rampage. Helicopters flew overhead and nearby schools were locked down.
"We are very confident at this point that it was a lone gunman," Chief Rohrer said today. "This action was not an incident for the public to be concerned about. He was targeting police officers at the Sully station."
As the investigation continues, Major Callahan said investigators are interested in talking with Mr. Kennedy's parents but have been unable to reach them.
"We would ask you to ask them to please contact us," he told reporters. "We feel confident that they're aware of what happened and we need to talk to them."
Mr. Kennedy was arrested by the Fairfax police on April 18 on a warrant issued in Montgomery County, Md., where he was charged in connection with a carjacking. According to The Washington Post, Mr. Kennedy was released from the Montgomery jail about two weeks ago after posting a $33,000 bond.
Major Callahan said at the news conference today that the department had not yet determined if Detective Armel knew Mr. Kennedy. But he said that Mr. Kennedy had had "prior communications" with the station before Monday, possibly meaning that he might have made threats before.
"We're trying to determine is she had had some contact with him. We don't know at this time," he said.
By MARIA NEWMAN
The police in Fairfax, Va., said today that the teenager who opened fire outside one of their police stations on Monday, killing one detective and injuring two others, had recently been arrested on carjacking charges and was on a mission to hurt police officers.
The young man, identified as Michael W. Kennedy, 18, of nearby Centreville, Va., was heavily armed when he entered the parking lot of the Sully District Police Station in western Fairfax and began firing, the police said today.
He died in the exchange of gunfire with the police, law enforcement officials said at a televised news briefing this morning.
"He was very determined and he was intently targeting police officers when he went to that police station and he opened fire on police officers," saidMaj. Bob Callahan, commander of the Police Department's criminal investigations bureau. "I don't think there was any hesitation yesterday of what his intent was."
The detective who died in the gunfire, Vicky O. Armel, 40, was a nine-year veteran of the department whose husband is also a detective. It was the first fatal shooting of a Fairfax officer in the line of duty in the department's history.
Another officer, whose name has not yet been released, was also shot and was reported in critical condition today after undergoing surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital, officials said. The third officer was treated for minor injuries.
"I ask your forbearance," Police Chief David Rohrer said, his voice breaking. "This is a very difficult investigation for us. It's a complex investigation."
Major Callahan said the gunman, who had at least five pistols, an AK-47 rifle and a high-powered hunting rifle and two handguns, fired at least 70 rounds, but the department is still trying to determine how many shots the officers fired back at him.
According to police accounts, the harrowing episode on Monday began at about 3:30 p.m., when Mr. Kennedy entered the parking lot after driving to the station in a stolen vehicle.
He crouched between two vehicles and began firing, the police said, and three officers who were there at the time began firing back. Others soon joined them.
Major Callahan said the gunman seemed to be firing indiscriminately.
"It looks to us that he was just looking in that parking lot for as many victims as he could find," he said.
Major Callahan said that in the exchange of gunfire, a driver in a passing car was also hit. "He suffered a minor injury, probably from glass breakage," he said.
Even after Mr. Kennedy was shot, the police closed off the area to traffic as they tried to determine if there were other shooters involved in the rampage. Helicopters flew overhead and nearby schools were locked down.
"We are very confident at this point that it was a lone gunman," Chief Rohrer said today. "This action was not an incident for the public to be concerned about. He was targeting police officers at the Sully station."
As the investigation continues, Major Callahan said investigators are interested in talking with Mr. Kennedy's parents but have been unable to reach them.
"We would ask you to ask them to please contact us," he told reporters. "We feel confident that they're aware of what happened and we need to talk to them."
Mr. Kennedy was arrested by the Fairfax police on April 18 on a warrant issued in Montgomery County, Md., where he was charged in connection with a carjacking. According to The Washington Post, Mr. Kennedy was released from the Montgomery jail about two weeks ago after posting a $33,000 bond.
Major Callahan said at the news conference today that the department had not yet determined if Detective Armel knew Mr. Kennedy. But he said that Mr. Kennedy had had "prior communications" with the station before Monday, possibly meaning that he might have made threats before.
"We're trying to determine is she had had some contact with him. We don't know at this time," he said.
