Double-Shooting in Herndon Started with an Argument Among Brothers: Police

HERNDON, VA — A double-shooting in Herndon over the weekend that led to the suspect's death at the hands of police started with an argument between brothers, police say.

Police shot to death 32-year-old Mohammad Azim Doudzai after he pulled a gun and shot two of his brothers following an argument with his girlfriend, according to a new report from the Fairfax County Police Department.

Doudzai apparently was arguing with his 28-year-old girlfriend at a home at 13316 Covered Wagon Lane when she called two of his brothers to come and talk to him, the report notes.

"The argument escalated when he pulled a gun and shot the two brothers, ages 37 and 23," the report states. "The girlfriend and two brothers fled the home, drove to the hospital and called police. Officers responded to both the hospital and the home. They set up a perimeter to isolate the area. During the incident, the suspect set multiple fires inside the home and there were multiple reports of what sounded like gunfire."

During negotiations with a suspect, they found out there was an unrelated 29-year-old man trapped inside the home who lived there as a roommate. He hid in a room upstairs and called 911 to tell police he couldn't escape, which prompted police to approach the home to rescue the hostage, neighbors and suspect.

The suspect had set the house on fire in the meantime, and smoke was billowing out of the windows as officers approached the door, according to the report.

The suspect emerged from the door with a knife in hand, lunged at the officers and was shot, police say. The officer who pulled the trigger is a 16-year veteran of the police department who is assigned to the Special Operations Division. The officer is on administrative leave while the investigation is conducted.

The brothers survived the shooting.

Investigators recovered a gun and knife from the home.

Image via FCPD