A Fairfax County police officer shot and killed a man accused of stabbing members of his own family inside a Northern Virginia apartment early Monday, authorities said, in an attack that left the man’s wife and adult daughter dead and his son-in-law fighting for his life.
The violence, described by police as an active attack unfolding as officers arrived, turned a quiet Mantua area apartment complex into a crime scene before sunrise as the region dealt with winter weather. Police Chief Kevin Davis said the officer fired after repeated commands to drop the weapon were ignored. Investigators had not identified a motive by late Monday and said they were still working to notify relatives and arrange care for a 1-year-old child who was inside the home and was not physically hurt.
Police said the first 911 call came just after 5 a.m. from a man in his 30s who lived in the apartment with his wife, their 1-year-old child and his wife’s parents. Davis said the caller had gone outside to clear snow from a car when he heard a disturbance inside. A second person in a nearby building also called 911 after hearing commotion, police said. The man ran back into the apartment and found his wife suffering from stab wounds, then saw his father-in-law attacking his mother-in-law, Davis said. “The damage, the chaos, and the carnage that was perpetrated by this man in his 50s on his own family is unimaginable,” Davis said at a news conference.
Investigators said the suspect used what police described as a curved dagger with a blade about 10 inches long that resembled a meat cleaver. Police said the suspect’s wife and daughter were critically hurt in the attack. As the son-in-law tried to intervene, the suspect turned the knife on him, Davis said. Two officers arrived within minutes of the 911 calls and went to the apartment, Davis said. One officer saw the suspect actively stabbing the son-in-law and gave multiple commands to stop and drop the weapon, Davis said. When the suspect refused, the officer fired, police said. Officers then tried to save the suspect’s life, including CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Davis said.
The suspect’s wife and adult daughter were taken to a hospital and later died, police said. Davis said the son-in-law underwent surgery and remained in what he called grave condition Monday. The 1-year-old was found inside the apartment and was not injured, police said. Medical personnel checked the child, and the child was then placed with Child Protective Services as investigators worked to locate other relatives who could provide care, police said. Authorities did not release the names of the dead or injured, saying notifications were still underway and the investigation was in its early stages.
Police said the case remained filled with unknowns hours after the attack. Davis said investigators had not found prior calls for domestic trouble at the residence, though detectives were still reviewing the family’s history and the hours leading up to the violence. “We don’t know yet what turmoil, what strife is happening in their lives,” Davis said, adding that he could not imagine what would drive someone to attack family members. Police also had not said whether the suspect had any prior criminal history, whether mental health issues were suspected, or whether any other weapons were involved. Detectives were interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence from the apartment and documenting the scene, officials said.
The officer-involved shooting will be reviewed along with the killings, police said, a standard step after a fatal police shooting. Davis said he had already seen body-worn camera video and believed the officer acted as trained in a life-threatening situation with an active assault underway. Police did not say Monday whether the officer was placed on administrative leave, and they did not identify the officer. Officials also did not specify how long the review might take, but said investigators would continue gathering medical and forensic reports, including hospital information and evidence from inside the apartment, to establish a precise sequence of events.
Residents in the complex watched as police tape went up and emergency vehicles lined the street in the dark hours of the morning. The neighborhood sits near major commuter routes into Washington, and the pre-dawn quiet was broken by sirens and radio traffic as officers and medics responded. Davis said the second 911 caller helped alert officers as the attack was unfolding. He also said the son-in-law’s actions helped bring police quickly to the apartment, but stressed the danger he faced when he ran inside. “So he hears some type of commotion and rushes back into the apartment and is confronted by a bloodbath,” Davis said.
By late Monday, detectives remained at the scene while officials worked through next steps for surviving relatives and the child. Police said they would provide updates as identities are confirmed and relatives are notified, and the condition of the injured son-in-law remained a key concern as the investigation continued.
Author note: Last updated February 23, 2026.