A man has died after he opened fire Wednesday inside an office building in Fairfax County, Virginia, and then shot himself, police say an initial investigation reveals.
Terrified parents rushed to pick up their children from the building, which is home to a daycare center. No children or anyone else were hurt, officials said.
Police received multiple calls about a man firing a pistol inside the office building at 8111 Gatehouse Road in the Merrifield section of Fairfax County, police said. The scene is just southeast of the Mosaic District complex of restaurants and shops.
Police later identified the gunman as 52-year-old John Francis Wood, of Vienna. Police said Wood died by his own hand.
No one else was injured, police said.
Officers evacuated the building. Authorities took preschool-age children across the street to Luther Jackson Middle School, where their parents hurried to pick them up.
One panicked father arrived at the daycare center drenched in sweat, wearing a suit, News4’s David Culver said.
“All I care about right now: I got him, I got him,” he said about his relief at learning his child is safe.
Another father said the shooting scene terrified him and his wife.
“I'm so happy that I have back my two lovely kids, "he said. "My wife was screaming."
Roessler later said the shooting happened at a law office on the fourth floor of the building.
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Officers continued to search the building to confirm there was no longer a threat.
"This is just traumatizing to everybody, including myself," Roessler said.
Roessler said police did not know how the gunman got into the building or if he was an employee of an office or business inside.
Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates to this developing story.
