Man Sentenced For Shooting At Cop In Great Falls Pursuit

GREAT FALLS, VA—A Herndon man has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for the attempted shooting of a Fairfax County police officer in Great Falls last year.

Brian Neftali Landaverde had pleaded guilty to attempted capital murder for the January 2017 incident beginning with a traffic pursuit. 30 years had been suspended from Landaverde's sentence on the condition of good behavior.

During the Jan. 22 chase, the driver sped away from the police cruiser, made U-turn in a cul-de-sac and went back toward the officer and opened fire. Police say Landaverde fired six or more shots, NBC Washington reported. Two of the bullets hit the police cruiser.

The officer was not hit but continued to pursue the shooter's car until losing sight of it on westbound Georgetown Pike.

Landaverde was arrested by Herndon Police two days later on charges relating to a stolen gun. A Herndon detective contacted the Fairfax County detectives and provided them information that ultimately led to Fairfax County charges against Landaverde.

Two juveniles ages 17 and 16 years old were in the car with Landaverde during the pursuit. One got out and fled on foot before Landaverde turned the car around and fired at the cop.

"It's just a matter of luck and divine intervention that officer is still with us, because you look at a foot here or there and the officer would have been dead," Fairfax County Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Casey Lingan said in court, according to NBC Washington.

Image via Fairfax County Police