Virginia State Police investigating armed hostage situation that resulted in officer-involved shooting in Luray, VA

An investigation is underway into an armed hostage situation that concluded with a multi-agency, officer-involved shooting in the Town of Luray. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting the investigation into the shooting incident, which involves personnel from state police, Town of Luray Police Department, Town of Shenandoah Police Department, Page County Sheriff’s Office, and National Park Police.

The local, state, and federal law enforcement had responded en masse to an emergency 911 call for an armed male subject having taken people hostage inside a convenience store in the 500 block of West Main Street in the Town of Luray. The call came in around noon, and the responding law enforcement personnel staged in the parking lot outside the store.

For an extended period of time, law enforcement personnel worked to verbally engage the armed male subject via a loudspeaker. The man refused to cooperate with law enforcement’s repeated commands to put down his weapon and safely exit the building. During the course of the attempted negotiations, he did come to the front of the store and open the door and then retreat back inside.

At approximately 1:15 p.m., the man exited through the front doors of the store with a long gun that he pointed at law enforcement. Law enforcement at the scene fired at the male subject. He died at the scene. The long gun was recovered at the scene. His remains will be transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for examination and autopsy. The state police are still in the process of notifying the next of kin.

The two individuals taken hostage inside the store were not injured during the incident. No law enforcement was injured during the course of the incident.

In accordance with state police policy, the trooper involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending the ongoing criminal investigation and an administrative investigation.