Fairfax County shooting: Search for shooter continues as shooting near hotel in Herndon leaves a teen dead

The Fairfax County Police are searching for the shooter after a teenager died in a shooting in the McNair area of Herndon, Virginia, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. In a press conference, Fairfax County Police Deputy Chief Brooke Wright said the incident occurred on the 13000 block of Coppermine Road near the Sonesta ES Suites by Dulles International Airport Wednesday afternoon.

Wright said officers responded to reports of multiple shots fired in the 13000 block of Coppermine Road Around 4:30 pm on Wednesday. Upon arrival, they found a teenager suffering from "life-threatening" injuries. The unidentified teen was reportedly transported to a local hospital, where he died later.

"We have a teenager who is dead and shouldn't be. And I can't imagine anything more devastating for that kid's family," Wright said in a press conference.”

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Fairfax shooting suspect described as Hispanic male

In a post on X, the Fairfax police said the suspect is still at large after the shooting near a hotel in Herndon that left one dead. Police described the suspect as a Hispanic male wearing all-black clothing. At the time of writing this article, they have yet to disclose a name but urged the public to call 911 with any information pertaining to the incident. They wrote:

“Officers are on the scene of a shooting in the 13000 blk of Coppermine Rd in McNair. A teenager was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male wearing all-black clothing. Call 911 w/ any info.”

Briefly detailing the incident in the press conference, Fairfax County Police Deputy Chief Brooke Wright said they believe the altercation stemmed from a dispute among a group of young people who were acquainted with each other.

Wright said the police believe at least three people were involved in the incident and at least three rounds were fired at the scene. Wright said the teen was shot at least once before he was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

“Two victims and the suspect were involved in a physical altercation. At some point, they separated physically, the suspect pulled a firearm and shot at least three rounds.”

Wright added another teen victim was shot at but was not struck during the incident. She added:

"We're doing everything we can to get the suspect in custody. We'll be collecting all the evidence we can to bring this case to justice."

Wright said the Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School was placed on lockdown as a precaution following the incident.

“I’m a parent myself. My child is an adult now, and I can’t imagine what any parent would be thinking or feeling, expecting their child to come home for dinner and not make it. So, I think anybody who’s a parent can relate to the fact that that would be devastating and obviously, our thoughts definitely go out to them.”

The lockdown has since been lifted. Meanwhile, police declined to disclose additional information, citing an active investigation.