Police Shooting Kills Man With Crossbow Near Potomac Mills In Woodbridge

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Prince William County Police fatally shot a man armed with a crossbow Thursday near the Potomac Mills complex. There were no other injuries reported from the officer-involved shooting.

Around 2:45 p.m. Thursday, police had located a man wanted in an unprovoked brandishing of a gun toward an unknown victim on Colchester Road in Woodbridge on Wednesday. Police believe the suspect was involved in a similar case on Birchdale Avenue on Thursday.

Police had found the suspect parked in a vehicle on Potomac Mills Circle, which circles around the Potomac Mills mall complex. Officers tried to negotiate with the man for a surrender over several hours. Chief Peter Newsham told reporters that the suspect pointed the crossbow at police, according to WUSA9.

At one point, officers surrounded the vehicle to take him into custody. According to police, the man exited the vehicle armed with a crossbow and started running toward the mall. That's when police shot and killed him.

The man was identified as Harrison Charles Deppe, 52, of Woodbridge.

Police say the incident was contained to the Potomac Mills Circle roadway and poses no active threat to the community.

The police chief, has requested the regional Critical Incident Response Team investigate the officer-involved shooting. There was no initial information released on the involved officers.