Sterling Man Charged with 11 Felony Counts in Walmart Shooting

ASHBURN, VA — A 33-year-old Sterling man faces 11 felony charges after police say he shot a Loudoun County sheriff’s deputy and two Walmart store employees while police were attempting to arrest him for stealing items from the store on Saturday, police announced Wednesday.

Steven E. Thodos was charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, one count of malicious wounding, four counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, one count of attempted auto theft and one count of possession of a firearm by a felony following an incident that took place at a Walmart at Dulles Crossings Plaza over the weekend.

Thodos, who was charged after being released from a local hospital on Wednesday, is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Detention Center, police said. The sheriff’s deputy who was injured in the incident remains hospitalized in stable, but serious condition. Two store employees who were injured in the shooting were released from the hospital Monday.

According to police, Thodos was approached by two security guards after they witnessed him stealing items from the store. As two deputies attempted to arrest Thodos, police said Thodos began to struggle with officers and then pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots, hitting one of the deputy and the two store employees.

Thodos fled the store as another deputy gave chase. The deputy and the suspect exchanged gunfire, police said. Thodos, who was struck, was able to flee the area in a vehicle he stole from a nearby parking lot. A police lookout was posted for the stolen vehicle and members of the Fairfax County Police Department located the suspect vehicle traveling southbound on Route 28.

Fairfax officers followed the Thodos’ vehicle which ended up crashing in the area of Presgraves Court. He was later taken into custody by the Fairfax County Police Department on Pennsboro Drive and was hospitalized with injuries he sustained in the gunfire exchange with police.