Gunman Kills 2 Co-Workers at Virginia Business, Then Himself, Police Say
A man opened fire on his co-workers at an equipment rental business in Manassas, Virginia, on Wednesday morning, killing two people and wounding a third before later taking his own life on an interstate in western Virginia, police said.
The shooting happened around 7:11 a.m. at the United Rentals facility on Wellington Road in Manassas, about 30 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.
What Police Say Happened
Manassas City Police Chief Douglas Keen said the suspect, 37-year-old Marvin Grant of Charlotte, North Carolina, arrived at work and made a chilling statement before the shooting began.
"What we do know is Mr. Grant came to work this morning, made a statement to a coworker that three people were going to die and then produced a handgun and began shooting," Keen said, according to InsideNoVa.
About eight employees were at the facility at the time. Keen said investigators believe some kind of altercation led to the shooting. The motive remains under investigation.
Keen said Grant "pulled a pistol from his waistband and shot the three victims," who were found in a garage area and an office inside the garage.
Police said Grant had changed the license plate on his vehicle overnight, a detail investigators say may point to planning ahead of the attack.
The Victims
Ricky Lamot, 48, and Christopher Serrano, 33, were killed. All three victims were initially listed in critical condition, with two taken to UVA Prince William Medical Center and one to Inova Fairfax Hospital.
The third worker is now in stable condition and is expected to survive.
Lamot, who lived in Fauquier County, was a youth football coach. Keen said the loss of a man so dedicated to coaching young players, and the knowledge that his children are now without a father, "hits home."
The wounded worker's name has not been released.
A Manhunt Along Interstate 81
Grant fled the scene in a silver Toyota Camry with temporary North Carolina tags, prompting a statewide search. Nearby schools were briefly placed on lockdown, and students at Jennie Dean Elementary School were moved to a nearby middle school as a precaution. Residents near the scene were told to stay indoors and lock their doors while the search continued.
Detectives tracked Grant's cellphone to the Harrisonburg area. Virginia State Police later spotted his car on Interstate 81 and tried to pull him over, leading to a brief chase.
Grant stopped on the shoulder near mile marker 227 in Augusta County and got out of the car with a firearm. Troopers brought in a tactical team and a negotiator, and Grant died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at about 10:30 a.m., according to ABC News. State police said troopers did not use force.
Police said they had no prior interactions with Grant before Wednesday.
A Pattern of Workplace Violence
The Manassas attack is the latest in a string of deadly incidents involving co-workers this year.
In June, a temporary employee at a Delaware hospital was accused of shooting two colleagues, killing one, inside Wilmington Hospital. This summer, a Costco employee in Washington state was charged with murder after police say he rammed a co-worker's motorcycle with his car.
Workers have also been targeted by outsiders. In May, two bank employees were shot and killed during a robbery in Berea, Kentucky.
What Happens Next
Investigators are reviewing video from the United Rentals facility as they work to piece together what led to the shooting. Police have not said whether Grant had any known conflicts with the victims.
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