Police Find Loaded Shotgun After Courthouse Standoff

A 54-year-old man who instigated a six-hour standoff with police in the parking garage Saturday afternoon had a loaded shotgun, according to Fairfax County Police.

The man called 9-1-1 shortly before 3:30 p.m., said Officer Bud Walker, a county police spokesman. Police arrived to find him . He was threatening to kill himself.

After hours of negotiation between the man and police, he finally surrendered at 9:20 p.m. He was transported to a local hospital for a mental evaluation, Walker said. So far no charges have been filed against him.

"Since charges have not been filed, that is all the information I am at liberty to release," Walker said. "If charges are filed at a later date, then his name and address would be releasable."

Officers found a loaded shotgun in the vehicle while they were conducting a search of the scene. 

The incident raised concern for some of those outside the county's judicial center. 

"For the past hour we have had helicopters flying around and the streets around our neighborhood have been blocked," said Betty Doyle. "We are in Ardmore, next to the Burkholder Center, Post Office, and Juvenile Detention Center and Jail."

Fairfax County and City officers blocked off the entire area surrounding the Fairfax County Courthouse as well as downtown Fairfax City. Residents and business owners received an emergency alert from Fairfax City's EMAS system describing the incident at 6:18 p.m. 

Walker said it's unclear why the man was threatening suicide. The courthouse is not open on Saturdays.