MANASSAS, VA - A North Carolina man is accused of shooting three co-workers in Manassas, Virginia, which is located just under an hour southwest of Washington, D.C. Two of those co-workers died. Marvin Grant, 37, then killed himself during a standoff with police on Interstate 81 in Augusta County, about 110 miles southwest of Manassas, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Police allege that Grant killed two people and wounded a third at United Rentals at around 7 a.m. Wednesday. He then fled the scene in a car with North Carolina plates, police said.
In a Sept. 30 news release, Manassas police said that Grant was an employee of United Rentals, but they had not yet established a motive for the shooting. They were eventually able to get Grant's whereabouts by pinging his cell phone.
"Detectives immediately began a phone ping for the offender's cell phone. The phone was located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and information was provided to Virginia State Police," the release said.
Grant's Toyota Camry was located southbound on Interstate 81 in Augusta County.
"The suspect vehicle pulled into the rest area at the 232-mile marker, where Virginia State Police troopers attempted a traffic stop. The suspect exited his vehicle, then returned to his vehicle and continued driving southbound on Interstate 81," the VSP said in a news release.
State police said that five miles down the road, Grant pulled over to the side of the highway and exited the car with a firearm pointed at his head.
"The Virginia State Police tactical team and a negotiator were brought to the scene. At approximately 10:30 a.m., the suspect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased," the state police said in the release.
The two workers who were killed were identified as Ricky Lamot, 48, and Christopher Serrano, 33, according to police. The third victim, who was not identified, remains hospitalized in stable condition, police said.
Manassas City Police Chief Doug Keen told reporters that Grant told a co-worker when he arrived at work that three people were going to die, NBC-4 Washington reported.
"Mr. Grant came to work this morning, made a statement to a coworker that three people are going to die, he then produced a handgun and began shooting," Keen said.
Grant apparently planned the shooting in advance, having swapped out his license plate after midnight Wednesday and attached a temporary North Carolina tag to the vehicle he drove to work.
Prior to the shooting, there was a brief altercation, police said, and Grant pulled a gun and started shooting.
The outlet reported that Serrano was a father to a 10-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl. Police were able to get his fiancée, Mayra Maturano, on the phone as he was being loaded into the ambulance so she could hear his voice one last time, police said.
"When the police were talking to him, they were telling, 'Hey, ya know she's on the phone, tell me about her, tell me about your kids.' And his last words were 'I love you. I'm not gonna make it.'"
As for Lamot, Keen said he personally knew him as a father who coached youth football in Fauquier County for years.
"September's been a rough month. We lost a 16-year-old. Now I lost somebody I actually coached youth football with. And knowing what his commitment was and knowing his children and now fatherless, it hits home. It hits home for our community," Keen said, referring to an early September shooting where a 16-year-old Manassas girl was killed.
Keen said the third victim would require surgery.
The chief said the shooting happened in the garage area of the business and that eight employees were there at the time.
"That brings no relief to our victim's families. We've got to figure out what happened here, what caused this," Keen said.
As a result of the shooting, schools in the area were placed on lockdown for a period of time Wednesday morning.
eported.
Police allege that Grant killed two people and wounded a third at United Rentals at around 7 a.m. Wednesday. He then fled the scene in a car with North Carolina plates, police said.
In a Sept. 30 news release, Manassas police said that Grant was an employee of United Rentals, however they had not yet established a motive for the shooting. They were eventually able to get Grant’s whereabouts by pinging his cell phone.
“Detectives immediately began a phone ping for the offender’s cell phone. The phone was located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and information was provided to Virginia State Police,” the release said.
Grant’s Toyota Camry was located southbound on Interstate 81 in Augusta County.
“The suspect vehicle pulled into the rest area at the 232-mile marker, where Virginia State Police troopers attempted a traffic stop. The suspect exited his vehicle, then returned to his vehicle and continued driving southbound on Interstate 81,” the VSP said in a news release.
State police said that five miles down the road, Grant pulled over to the side of the highway and exited the car with a firearm pointed at his head.
“The Virginia State Police tactical team and a negotiator were brought to the scene. At approximately 10:30 a.m., the suspect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased,” the state police said in the release.
The two workers who were killed were identified as Ricky Lamot, 48, and Christopher Serrano, 33, according to police. The third victim, who was not identified, remains hospitalized in stable condition, police said.
NBC-4 Washington said Grant told a coworker when he arrived at work that three people were going to die, Manassas City Police Chief Doug Keen told reporters.
“Mr. Grant came to work this morning, made a statement to a coworker that three people are going to die, he then produced a handgun and began shooting,” Keen said.
Grant apparently planned the shooting in advance, having swapped out his license plate after midnight Wednesday and attaching a temporary North Carolina tag on the vehicle he drove to work.
Prior to the shooting, there was a brief altercation, police said, and Grant pulled a gun and started shooting.
The outlet reported that Serrano was a father to a 10-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl. Police were able to get his fiancée, Mayra Maturano, on the phone as he was being loaded into the ambulance so she could hear his voice one last time, police said.
“When the police were talking to him, they were telling, ‘Hey, ya know she’s on the phone, tell me about her, tell me about your kids.’ And his last words were ‘I love you. I’m not gonna make it.’”
As for Lamot, Keen said he personally knew him as a father who coached youth football in Fauquier County for years.
“September’s been a rough month. We lost a 16-year-old. Now I lost somebody I actually coached youth football with. And knowing what his commitment was and knowing his children and now fatherless, it hits home. It hits home for our community,” Keen said, referring to an early September shooting where a 16-year-old Manassas girl was killed.
Keen said the third victim would require surgery.
The chief said the shooting happened in the garage area of the business and that eight employees were there at the time.
“That brings no relief to our victim’s families. We’ve got to figure out what happened here, what caused this,” Keen said.
As a result of the shooting, schools in the area were placed on lockdown for a period of time Wednesday morning.
Comments