8 killed in shootings in central Virginia; police surround suspect in the woods

8 killed in central Va. shootings

APPOMATTOX, Va. — A lone shooter killed eight people in central Virginia, with seven bodies found at one home, police said Tuesday.

State police said officers had the suspect, Christopher Speight, 39, circled in the woods late Tuesday near the home and they believed he was still alive. The eighth shooting victim was found on the side of the road and died on the way to the hospital, police said. All the victims were adults and both men and women were killed, state police Sgt. Thomas Molnar said.

Police refused to speculate on a motive and would not say what type of weapon was used. Molnar also gave no background on the suspect.

The drama paralyzed the rural area as police swarmed forests trying to flush out the suspect who, at one point in the manhunt, fired at a state police helicopter, forcing it to land with a ruptured fuel tank. No police were injured after one or more rounds struck the helicopter.

Canine units and a National Guard helicopter with thermal imaging equipment were being used to search the woods.

“They are searching the area and will continue until the suspect is apprehended,” Molnar said.

The violence began shortly after noon when the injured man was found on a rural stretch of road. A deputy who went to investigate fled after he heard gunshots, police spokeswoman Corrine Geller said.

“When the deputy arrived on the scene, that’s when he heard several shots,” Molnar said.

Police did not release the victims’ names or the suspect’s possible relationship to them.

Authorities told nearby residents to stay inside and a small Christian school was locked down until state police could escort about 60 children from the building.

Resident Bethel Hawkins said police warned families to lock their doors in an area with many senior citizens.

“We’re just being cautious, keeping our doors locked, not going outside,” said Hawkins, who lives about 2 miles up the road from where the shootings occurred. “Our church service is supposed to be tonight, but we talked with our pastor and told him we’re not coming out. We’re not going out in the dark not knowing what’s out there. But we trust in the Lord to take care of us.”

Appomattox is in a county of about 15,000 approximately 100 miles southwest of Richmond. It is best known as the place where Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to end the Civil War.

Associated Press writers Bob Lewis in Richmond and John Raby in Charleston, W. Va., contributed to this report.