A State Department Foreign Service Officer allegedly stabbed four women on I-495 in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Sunday afternoon, killing one of them before a state trooper shot and killed him, according to Virginia State Police and the State Department.
The State Department confirmed the suspect's employment to Fox News Digital. A State Department spokesperson issued a brief statement acknowledging the connection.
We are aware of the tragic incident that involved a Foreign Service Officer and occurred on Sunday, March 1, in Fairfax County, Virginia.
The spokesperson declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation being led by Virginia State Police.
In a news release, the Virginia State Police said 32-year-old Jared Llamado of McLean, Virginia, allegedly stabbed Michelle Adams, 39; Dana Bonnell, 36; Mary C. Flood, 37; and Heather Miller, 40. Adams died as a result of her injuries. A dog was also killed.
The incident took place on I-495 southbound at 1:20 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, in Fairfax County, roughly 30 minutes from Washington, D.C. Officials said the stabbing followed a crash and is not believed to be terrorism-related.
Virginia State Police described how the confrontation ended.
A Virginia State Police trooper was called to the scene at approximately 1:17 p.m. for a reported road rage incident. When the trooper arrived on scene, he was confronted by a male suspect carrying a knife.
The trooper shot Llamado in what Virginia State Police described as self-defense, the New York Post reported. Llamado was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries and later died. The trooper was not injured.
Dispatch audio reviewed by Fox News Digital described the situation as one that "started out as a property damage crash" before the suspect began "stabbing people with a knife." The dispatch operator described "multiple victims in the roadway."
The Virginia Department of Transportation's Northern Virginia office confirmed the highway shutdown.
I-495 and 495 Express Lanes southbound past Gallows Road is closed due to a major incident.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the conditions of Dana Bonnell, Mary C. Flood, or Heather Miller beyond stating they were allegedly stabbed. No charges have been announced, which is expected given that the suspect is dead, and no court filings have been disclosed. Virginia State Police have not publicly addressed a motive. The State Department has not released details about Llamado's role, posting, or tenure as a Foreign Service Officer.
Investigators will need to determine what preceded the initial crash on I-495, whether there was any prior contact between Llamado and the people he allegedly attacked, and what, if anything, in his background could explain an episode of lethal violence on a public highway in broad daylight.
One fact stands out clearly in a story still full of unanswered questions: a Virginia State Police trooper arrived on a chaotic scene, was confronted by a knife-wielding man, and ended the threat. The trooper was not injured. The stabbing stopped. That is what law enforcement response looks like when officers are empowered to act decisively, and it is the reason Michelle Adams is the only fatality among the four women allegedly attacked. Three others survived because a trooper with a firearm got there in time and used it.
