Woman and Dog Killed in Highway Stabbing Spree

A routine Sunday drive along one of America’s busiest highways turned into a scene of chaos, bloodshed, and gunfire in Northern Virginia.

Two people are dead — including the suspected attacker — after a violent stabbing spree on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County ended with a Virginia State Police trooper shooting a knife-wielding man in what authorities describe as self-defense.

The violence unfolded just after 1:15 p.m. on March 1 near Exit 42 along the Capital Beltway.

According to Virginia State Police, a trooper was dispatched around 1:17 p.m. for reports of a road rage incident on the southbound lanes of I-495. But what the responding officer encountered was far more serious.

“When the trooper arrived, he was confronted by a man armed with a knife,” a state police spokesperson said. “The trooper discharged his firearm in self-defense.”

The suspect was struck and rushed to a nearby hospital. He later died from his injuries. The trooper was not hurt.

But the carnage had already spread.

Investigators say four people were stabbed during the incident. A 39-year-old woman later died from her injuries. Her name has not yet been released pending notification of family.

Three additional victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Their conditions have not been publicly disclosed.

In a disturbing detail, authorities confirmed that a dog was also stabbed during the chaos and died at the scene.

Investigators believe the stabbings may have erupted following a crash on southbound I-495, though the exact sequence of events remains under active investigation.

While the violence sent shockwaves through the region, officials were quick to stress that there is no indication the attack was terrorism-related.

“At this time, we do not believe there is any connection to terrorism,” Virginia State Police said in a statement.

The agency’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Fairfax Field Office, has taken the lead on reviewing both the stabbings and the officer-involved shooting, as is standard protocol.

As police secured the scene, traffic on one of the East Coast’s most critical arteries came to a standstill.

All southbound lanes between Gallows Road and Little River Turnpike were shut down for hours. Drivers were diverted at Exit 50A onto Routes 29 and 50. Authorities urged motorists to follow posted detours as backups stretched for miles.

Witnesses described a terrifying scene of confusion, flashing lights, and stranded drivers unsure of what had just happened.

The investigation remains ongoing. Officials say more details — including the identity of the suspect and the victims — will be released as they become available.

For now, what began as a reported road rage incident has left two families grieving and a community shaken along the Beltway.