From the Loudoun Alert System:

Loudoun County, Virginia- Authorities are still trying to determine the motive behind a nearly four hour hostage situation Monday that ended with the suspect being fatally wounded.  
 
Investigators have learned that the suspect, Aleksandrin Yordanov Bazhilov, 30, of Winchester was getting gas at the Exxon station in the 22400 block of Flagstaff Plaza in Ashburn around 4:40 PM. Bazhilov walked into the store to pay for his gas when there was confusion between the suspect and the cashier over the status of the gas pump. At one point the suspect appeared to become agitated and jumped over the counter and grabbed the female cashier. The suspect has no apparent ties to the victim or anyone in the store.  
 
Another employee of the Exxon had walked out of the store just prior to the incident. At least two customers would flee the store believing it was a robbery in progress. An off-duty officer from the Pentagon Police Department was approaching the store at the time of the incident.  He contacted authorities and alerted other customers who were approaching the store of the situation.  
 
Personnel from the Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiations Unit, Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT), Criminal Investigations Division, Special Operations Division, Field Operations, and command staff responded to the scene. Personnel from the Virginia State Police also provided assistance at the scene including their SWAT team.  
 
Members of the Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiations Unit began to attempt to contact the suspect using by calling the phone inside the store. The man repeatedly hung up the phone. Negotiators were able to briefly talk to the man who made statements threatening the life of the female cashier as well as his own.  
 
Around 8:15 PM the suspect walked out for a second time however this time he was holding a pair of scissors to her neck. Deputies observed that the victim had blood on her shirt and injuries to her neck.  Fearing further injury to the victim a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) took action and discharged one round from his weapon. The SERT team member, Deputy First Class Brian Sayre has been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Sayre is a nearly 7 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and has been certified as SERT team member since 2001.  
 
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The female victim was transported to a local hospital. She had lacerations to her hand and neck that were considered non-life threatening.  
 
The incident remains under investigation by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.


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It sounds like a reasonable course of action was taken by the SERT officer.  Unfortunate, but reasonable.  Down one BG.

i never saw dirty harry put on administrative leave after an officer involved shooting.  but seriously there is a big part missing there--was the officer cleared to take the shot or did he act without a direct order?  i don't disagree with the action taken at all but i sometimes think that police departments are too namby pamby about some of this stuff.

I would hope he either followed a protocol that gave him the authority to make the decision, or he had the green light from the powers that be.

Sounds like she was wounded and the Deputy decided she didn't need to be wounded further -- or killed -- before he acted.

Sounds like a good shoot.  The BG made the decision for them.

That was my thought as well.  The man proved that he was willing/able to inflict injury or death and I would hope the protocol at that point is if you can get a shot, you take it .

Sounds like a good shoot to me; it is a shame that criminals caught in the act are not dispatched more often like this.

Video of the shot here

Quoted: Sounds like a good shoot to me; it is a shame that criminals caught in the act are not dispatched more often like this. Video of the shot here

Damn this is right next to my work, I was going home and the road was closed. I stop there alot for gas.

Quoted: Quoted: Sounds like a good shoot to me; it is a shame that criminals caught in the act are not dispatched more often like this. Video of the shot here Damn this is right next to my work, I was going home and the road was closed. I stop there alot for gas.

I do stop going home on Friday as well, just about the same time.

Damn!

Only proves why it is important to be vigilant and always carry, you never know what may happen at your friendly neighborhood gas station.

Good guys 1
Dirt bag   0

administrative leave?  are you kidding me?  is that while they print his medals and commendations?  I'd love to see where shooter was too, looks like a great one.

Quoted: Damn! Only proves why it is important to be vigilant and always carry, you never know what may happen at your friendly neighborhood gas station. Good guys 1 Dirt bag   0

Yup and if I was there as I could of well been if my gas situation was lower and I left work on time. I would not of had my CCW as my work does not allow us to even have a gun locked in our car.

We need to work on getting that bill passed in a non watered down version.

damn I hate that reporter.


/always find him annoying.


wonder what they shot him with.

Was that a news report or a play by play?

Good on LCSO.

Quoted: Was that a news report or a play by play? Good on LCSO.

Damn if I could tell.

Quoted: administrative leave?  are you kidding me?  is that while they print his medals and commendations?  I'd love to see where shooter was too, looks like a great one.

It was always my understanding that some admin leave is standard while they review the shooting to make sure it was 'clean'.  Besides, he deserves a little vacation as a reward for such good work.

The question is why the guy went nuts.  Suicide by cop after the fight with his woman a couple days before?

Quoted: The question is why the guy went nuts.  Suicide by cop after the fight with his woman a couple days before?

I was wondering the same thing.... Got attacked by wis wife, calls the cops, and feels guilty I guess... I don't think that this will be  a clear cut investigation as to the motive......

don't forget bout the hostage.  gonna take decades of therapy to get over that.

I work on the Dulles Greenway as a Operations Supervisor. I was off that day though. That gas station is right off of our toll road.

I talked to one of our VSP guys we have assigned to our road. He thinks the guy was shot with an MP5 as that is what the swat guys that were there were carrying. He wasnt sure though.

Its funny, I buy breakfast there on the weekends when I patrol the road. I am glad I was not there when it happend.

I would have been unarmed in any case, we have this stupid rule where we are unable to even have a weapon locked in our car.

Well I am in violation of that rule and have been for the 10 years I been working there.

One of the Superintendants was at the scene when the shot was fired but I dont speak to him so I did not get any details about it.

Quoted: I work on the Dulles Greenway as a Operations Supervisor. I was off that day though. That gas station is right off of our toll road. I talked to one of our VSP guys we have assigned to our road. He thinks the guy was shot with an MP5 as that is what the swat guys that were there were carrying. He wasnt sure though. Its funny, I buy breakfast there on the weekends when I patrol the road. I am glad I was not there when it happend. I would have been unarmed in any case, we have this stupid rule where we are unable to even have a weapon locked in our car. Well I am in violation of that rule and have been for the 10 years I been working there. One of the Superintendants was at the scene when the shot was fired but I dont speak to him so I did not get any details about it.

that 9mm must have hit the exact 'cutoff' spot in the head - looks like he dropped like a house of cards.

Like I said, the trooper was unsure if they actually took the shot with the MP5, only that they were armed with them, it is likely that the shot hin with something else though.

I would have thought they would have used a sniper rifle for precesion work like that.

Quoted: i never saw dirty harry put on administrative leave after an officer involved shooting.  but seriously there is a big part missing there--was the officer cleared to take the shot or did he act without a direct order?  i don't disagree with the action taken at all but i sometimes think that police departments are too namby pamby about some of this stuff.

I usually don't post on these Police issues--but you need to wake up, is the command going to follow him around and direct every activity-you never know when you are forced into defending a life. You don't need "permission" to excercise your authority.

That so called "green light" is alot of myth. On the flip side-just because the cp gives the "green light"--you are still responsible and I don't know anyone in the Police world that will simply shoot based on an order alone.

Quoted: Quoted: i never saw dirty harry put on administrative leave after an officer involved shooting.  but seriously there is a big part missing there--was the officer cleared to take the shot or did he act without a direct order?  i don't disagree with the action taken at all but i sometimes think that police departments are too namby pamby about some of this stuff. I usually don't post on these Police issues--but you need to wake up, is the command going to follow him around and direct every activity-you never know when you are forced into defending a life. You don't need "permission" to excercise your authority. That so called "green light" is alot of myth. On the flip side-just because the cp gives the "green light"--you are still responsible and I don't know anyone in the Police world that will simply shoot based on an order alone.

Maybe so but in the movies the SWAT sniper always has to wait for authorization to take the shot. Don't stomp on our fantasies with reality:

Commanding Officer: Sniper team One this is Eagle, you are cleared to take the shot. I repeat you are cleared to take the shot. Copy.

Sniper Team One: Roger Eagle, we are cleared to take the shot. Over.

As my Criminal Justice professor pointed out once, LEOs are the only people in the country who are expected to make the decision to draw and fire their weapon without any sort of asking permission or going up the chain (excluding civilians of course) they can take a life based on their judgement alone.

Quoted: As my Criminal Justice professor pointed out once, LEOs are the only people in the country who are expected to make the decision to draw and fire their weapon without any sort of asking permission or going up the chain (excluding civilians of course) they can take a life based on are trained and prepared to lawfully employ deadly force in the performance of their duties, and are more likely to find themselves in situations when they must rapidly, and with fleeting opportunity to cross all the tees and dot all the eyes, determine when to employ deadly force -- supported only by training, practice, and  their judgement alone.

I suspect your Criminal Justice professor might be a little more comfortable with the edit I provided to your contribution.

If you have a CHP and carry, and made the commitment to defend yourself and yours, you're in the same boat.

Quoted: Quoted: As my Criminal Justice professor pointed out once, LEOs are the only people in the country who are expected to make the decision to draw and fire their weapon without any sort of asking permission or going up the chain (excluding civilians of course) they can take a life based on are trained and prepared to lawfully employ deadly force in the performance of their duties, and are more likely to find themselves in situations when they must rapidly, and with fleeting opportunity to cross all the tees and dot all the eyes, determine when to employ deadly force -- supported only by training, practice, and  their judgement alone. I suspect your Criminal Justice professor might be a little more comfortable with the edit I provided to your contribution. If you have a CHP and carry, and made the commitment to defend yourself and yours, you're in the same boat.

YOur edit is funny. Most police officers don't take the time to train outside of what they are required to do. IIRC, Fairfax County quals 4 times a year. Some places are twice a year.

My Ethics In Criminal Justice teacher, who is a retired LT from Manassas said the same basic thing as the poster you quoted said. And She should know.

Quoted: Most police officers don't take the time to train outside of what they are required to do. IIRC, Fairfax County quals 4 times a year. Some places are twice a year.

Rather than comment on the accuracy or your source of these statistics, I'll just opine that all who carry weapons (LEO in the line of duty, CHP, or openly) would benefit from regular practice and periodic training (refresher and otherwise) on the operation and employment of their weapon(s), as well as education about the how carrying a weapon -- and potentially using it to apply deadly force -- can change one's life.

My Ethics In Criminal Justice teacher, who is a retired LT from Manassas said the same basic thing as the poster you quoted said. And She should know.

I suspect your and 21BoomCBTENGR's Criminal Justice professors (if not the same) might also be a little more comfortable with the edit I provided to 21BoomCBTENGR's contribution.  The fact of the matter is that police may not "take a life based on their judgement," a la James Bond, with his license to kill, even though it can happen that a criminal dies as the result of applying deadly force.  An LEO who utters something along the lines of "I killed him because he needed killing ... he just shot my partner" such that it can be used against him/her will be in a more precarious position than one who says "I used deadly force because I feared for my life, and that of my partner whom the decedent had already shot."  

To quote the 60s song, "It's only words."  But they can make a big difference in ones life.  

One reason for the verbosity of my posts to forums is that I use these as an opportunity to train myself to communicate in a way that won't come back to haunt me in the future.  In today's world -- where utterances can inconveniently be recorded almost anytime or any place -- communicating safely should be every bit one's ingrained response as shooting rapidly, accurately, and correctly.

Not a day goes by when I don't practice a couple of key phrases ... either out loud while alone in my car, or in my mind.  Phrases like, "Help.  I just shot a man who tried to murder me," and "Drop the pistol" <BANG>.  Such rote training should help me say defensible things and not say anything regretable if I ever have to use my concealed handgun.  JMHO.  YMMV.

oh, yeah, definitely, i'm pretty sure my prof. would smack me upside the head for paraphrasing him so horribly, i was mainly going for stating the general.... direction of what he was talking about, he said it a lot better.

I don't wanna even say this here, but I feel like I sort of have to. I'm a twelve year police officer and a firearms instructor. It's true we don't get to the range as often as we should, it's also true that alot of cops just aren't gun people. That being said judgement and decision making of some importance with regards to our safety and the safety of the public goes on every day. It's been my experience that such uses do somewhat keep us a little sharper than otherwise, it's no replacement for decision shooting and other range time but it helps. Until the elected ones budget such shanges we will continue to complain and whine and write lots of letters to CYA and carry on.

As far as being placed on admin leave it's common practice and serves as decompression time.

The "green light" goes on for me, and every other police officer, every time I leave the house. If someone is trying to seriously hurt me or someone else and I'm in the position to stop it I do, thats my job, I explain it all later if I can but no one who wants to survive 20 years much less carry the weight of someone unjustly dying on their account would work under other rules of engagement. Being a police marksman is not all that much different, any time they see and can end a direct threat they will.

Sorry, I had to rant a moment before I closed...

 

any updates about the hero on leave?  They have his medals and commendations yet?

On the proficiency note, in my seriously humble opnion, if you're gonna give noobs (which most LEO's are before joining) a handgun that they might have to use ACCURATELY, I think WAY too many departments issue DAO's, which I find impossible to shoot even after trying for mnths to get good at it.

I think it would help if everyone switched to the LEM's or DAK's, or the newer lighter DAO systems.  I realize only localilities with sane politicians, AG's and prosecutors (quite rare) will allow single actions, but  I seriously think that you'd see LEO's getting to the range on their own more often if their guns didn't take so many range trips to master.

From what I know of this shooting the officer used a HK UMP40 at approx. 40yds, took a head shot on the suspect because when the suspect and hostage came outside to retrieve the 'phone' the hostage had blood over her shirt and the officer saw the cut and felt that she was in grave danger and needed to end it to save her life.  I think he made the right decision.

Quoted: From what I know of this shooting the officer used a HK UMP40 at approx. 40yds, took a head shot on the suspect because when the suspect and hostage came outside to retrieve the 'phone' the hostage had blood over her shirt and the officer saw the cut and felt that she was in grave danger and needed to end it to save her life.  I think he made the right decision.

I dunno about the right decision, a UMP40?  give that officer a 45!  j/k of course, I'm guessing teh dept uses 40 cal pistols?  I thought VA leo's were mostly 357sig users.

Quoted: I dunno about the right decision, a UMP40?  give that officer a 45!  j/k of course, I'm guessing teh dept uses 40 cal pistols?  I thought VA leo's were mostly 357sig users.

VA LEOs have a variety of pistols.  I can't remember what Loundon Co Sheriffs office carries as far as handguns.

The few I know for VA are:

VA State Police = .357SIG 229R DAKs (some still have older DA/SA 229s)
Prince William Co PD and Sheriffs office = .45 ACP in Glock 21 and Glock 30s
Fairfax Co PD = 9mm SIG 226s and 229s
Manassas City PD = .40 SIG 229s and 239s