Man stabs daughter, wife to death in attack, is fatally shot by Fairfax County police

A man in Fairfax County stabbed his adult daughter and wife to death and then took the blade to his son-in-law before police officers fatally shot him early Monday, authorities said.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the son-in-law was in grave condition after the attacker, a man in his 50s whose identity wasn’t disclosed, used what authorities described as a “meat cleaver” to attack his family.

“To describe this scene as ’bloody’ is an understatement,” Chief Davis said. “The damage and the chaos and the carnage that was perpetrated by this man on his own family is unimaginable.”

The young couple’s baby, who was in the home during the rampage, was not harmed.

Police said the son-in-law was clearing off his car Monday morning when he heard a commotion inside the garden-style apartment in the 3900 block of Persimmon Drive in the Mantua neighborhood.

The son-in-law dialed 911 to report the disturbance and then went inside to check it out himself, authorities said.

Police said the son-in-law walked in on the man “butchering” his family.

The attacker had already stabbed his daughter and was then charging at his wife, officials said. Police officers arrived while the son-in-law was being stabbed by the assailant.

“When our officers made their way into the apartment, the father/father-in-law was literally in progress of stabbing his son-in-law with that curved, long-bladed dagger,” Chief Davis said. “Our officer gave repeated commands, one after another after another, to this perpetrator to drop the knife. Not only does he not drop the knife, but he still proceeds to stab the son-in-law.”

Chief Davis said the officer shot and killed the attacker moments later.

He said the daughter, a woman in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The mother, who was in her 50s, died a short time later. The son-in-law, who is in his 30s, was clinging to life after being rushed to a hospital.

The chief said there was no history of domestic disputes or calls for service from the family.

The infant was given to Child Protective Services as the baby’s father recovers from the attack.