A man who allegedly committed a violent stabbing and fire-setting spree at a National Harbor apartment complex was shot and killed by Prince George's County police officers yesterday. The incident began at approximately 8:20 a.m. when officers found two critically injured individuals with stab wounds inside an apartment on the third floor of a building located at the 8300 block of Indian Head Highway, as reported by WMAR-2 News.
According to WJLA, the police chief, Malik Aziz, described the stabbing as domestic and believes the man set the apartment building on fire before fleeing the scene. The fire resulted in the displacement of eight adults and six children living in the three-story complex. Subsequently, around 10 a.m., two officers located the suspect possessing a knife at the intersection of St. George Blvd. and Potomac Passage after nearby bystanders called 911.
The confrontation led to both officers discharging their weapons after the suspect reportedly advanced towards them with a knife in his hand. "The two officers discharged their duty weapons. The suspect was struck an unknown amount of times at this point," Aziz said in a statement detailed by NBC Washington. Despite life-saving measures attempted by the officers, the suspect was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead shortly afterward.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of the tragedy, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Office of the Fire Marshal. For those affected by domestic violence or concerned about a loved one, resources such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which operates 24/7 and can be reached at 800-799-7233, are available for assistance.
