Police: Report of Armed Man in Greenbriar Neighborhood a False Alarm

When several police cars, motorcycles and fire and emergency medical vehicles descended Tuesday afternoon on the Greenbriar neighborhood in response to what they believed was a silver motorhome with an armed occupant, locals in the otherwise quiet Fairfax neighborhood quickly turned to social media to trade information and share their fears.

But the incident was soon deemed a false alarm, prompted by a misunderstanding with a 911 call.

The Fairfax County Police Department first received a call before 4 p.m. Tuesday that led them to believe the silver motorhome, parked in the 12800 block of Melvue Court, may have had an armed occupant inside, the department told Patch.

The call was related to a medical condition but the caller referenced the term "gun case," which prompted officers to respond to the neighborhood and investigate what they thought to be a suspicious vehicle, according to first responders.

Police began to surround the vehicle on the cul-de-sac around 4 p.m. Meanwhile, police asked officials at Greenbriar East Elementary School to keep students inside the school until the police activity had concluded.

Soon afterward, the majority of students were released, but students who lived in the Greenbriar neighborhood remained at the school as police continued their investigation.

Resident Kate S. Campbell told Patch, "a neighbor saw many armed policemen surrounding a house and shouting at someone to come out. Near the entrance at Middle Ridge."

Eventually, authorities made contact with the man in the motorhome and determined that he posed no threat to the community.

Some neighbors called the event "unsettling." What do you think? Share your feelings on the incident in the comments below.

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