Fairfax Co. police officer shoots man during attempted arrest

A man is in the hospital after being shot by a police officer in Fairfax County, Virginia, during an attempted arrest Tuesday evening.

It happened near Arlington Boulevard and Patrick Henry Drive in the Seven Corners area.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said undercover narcotics officers were doing a drug investigation when they singled out a group of people sitting inside a car accused of illegally distributing drugs.

When officers approached the vehicle to arrest the suspects, they drove away “at a high rate of speed,” Davis said.

“Preliminarily, we know that the car that they were in took off, jumped a couple of curbs,” Davis said. “We blocked that car in, and one of our Fairfax County undercover detectives discharged his firearm during the apprehension effort to take these persons into custody.”

The man was shot in the arm during the attempted arrest. Davis said the man received a “non-fatal gunshot wound,” and he is expected to be OK.

No officers or witnesses were injured during the encounter.

Davis said the officer who fired his gun is now on routine administrative leave.

Police plan to release additional details on the investigation Wednesday morning.

Below is where approximately the shooting took place.

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