Video Shows Suspect Shooting At Police On Route 50 In Fairfax County

FALLS CHURCH, VA — The Fairfax County Police Department released video on Wednesday showing an armed man getting out of his car in the middle of Route 50 in a crowded intersection in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County and then firing his semi-automatic pistol while running away from police.

In the Oct. 6 incident, the man, Ricardo Singleton, 27, of Arlington fired five rounds at police officers after getting out of his car where it had become disabled after multiple crashes on Route 50, according to police.

A Fairfax County Police officer responded by firing five shots in an effort to protect himself and the public at the intersection of Route 50 and Graham Road, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said at a news conference Wednesday.

No police officers or members of the public in the area were injured in the incident. Singleton, who also did not suffer any gunshot injuries, was eventually captured by police behind a nearby building. “This could have been a whole lot worse than it was,” Davis said about the day-long effort to take Singleton into custody.

Under a new policy put in place by the Fairfax County Police in 2021, the department aims to publicly release police body-worn camera and in-car video footage within 30 days of an incident where shots are fired by a police officer as long as releasing the video footage will not jeopardize a police investigation.

Singleton did not have his gun with him when he eventually surrendered to police. Officers found the gun in a nearby area. Police also found two additional 30-round magazines in his car, according to Davis.

“This guy was armed with 90-plus rounds of ammunition,” he said.

On Oct. 6, Arlington County Sheriff's deputies first encountered Singleton that morning when he pulled his car in front of the Arlington County courthouse and police headquarters. He parked in a crosswalk, waved down two sheriff’s deputies, and showed them a gun.

When the deputies came over to Singleton's car, he drove away. The sheriff’s deputies followed Singleton to a nearby garage, where he told them he needed help, Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said at a news conference on Oct. 6. When the deputies tried to take him into custody, Singleton got back into his car and sped away.

The deputies followed him and saw him crash into parked cars, but lost track of him.

The Arlington County Police Department was able to identify Singleton and filed charges for eluding police, brandishing a weapon and hit-and-run.

Police in Prince George’s County, Maryland, spotted Singleton's car in their jurisdiction before Singleton drove back to Arlington later on Oct. 6, Davis said Wednesday.

At about 7:40 p.m. on Oct. 6, Singleton's vehicle was located in the area of Columbia Pike and N. George Mason Drive in Arlington. As police tried to stop the vehicle, Singleton drove off and started shooting at Arlington County police officers, Penn said.

Singleton then drove the wrong way down Route 50 while trying to avoid traffic. He struck several cars while he was being pursued by police.

By the time Singleton's car crossed into Fairfax County shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 6, the Virginia State Police became involved in trying to stop him because they had been in Fairfax County that day for an unrelated matter, Davis said at the news conference.

In radio traffic between police departments, an Arlington County police officer said, "The subject is suicidal. We have felony charges. And also shots were fired."

When asked at Wednesday's news conference why the Arlington police officer said Singleton was suicidal, Davis speculated that the officer likely had heard about the incident earlier in the day when Singleton was seen by Arlington County Sheriff's deputies holding a gun and saying he needs help.

Davis said Singleton remains jailed at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

In Fairfax County, Singleton was charged with use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and three counts of attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer.