Children were inside the Fairfax County residence but were unharmed, and police said there was no threat to the public.
CENTREVILLE, VA — A husband and wife were found fatally shot inside their Northern Virginia home Wednesday evening while their children were inside, prompting a Fairfax County police investigation into what led to the deaths.
Officers were called to the 6300 block of Sharps Drive in Centreville around 5:30 p.m. Sept. 9 after a family member who lived at the residence called 911 to report a shooting, according to Fairfax County police. Officers found an adult man and woman suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the two were married.
The couple’s children were inside the house when the shooting occurred but were not physically injured, police said. Authorities did not disclose how many children were present or their ages. The children were placed with family members, and the Fairfax County Police Department’s Victim Services Division was assisting the family.
Detectives recovered a firearm from inside the residence, according to police. Investigators had not publicly identified the husband or wife as of early Thursday and had not announced what they believe caused the shooting. Police also had not said who fired the weapon or described the circumstances that immediately preceded the deaths.
Officer Ingrid Palencia, a Fairfax County police public affairs officer, told reporters Wednesday evening that investigators believed everyone connected with the incident had been accounted for. No one was reported to be in custody at the time of the initial investigation.
“There is definitely no threat to the general public at this time,” Palencia said during a briefing near the scene. Police expected officers and detectives to remain in the neighborhood Wednesday night while evidence was collected and investigators continued their work.
Authorities were canvassing the area, examining evidence and looking into the family circumstances surrounding the shooting, Palencia said. She described the deaths as devastating for the neighborhood and said victim services advocates were helping relatives affected by the incident.
Police had not publicly classified the deaths as a murder-suicide as of the initial briefing. When reporters asked whether detectives were investigating that possibility or treating the case as a domestic incident, Palencia said the investigation was still active. Authorities also had not released information about any previous police calls to the residence.
The investigation remained ongoing early Thursday. Police said there was no known danger to the surrounding community, while detectives continued working to establish the sequence of events and determine how the husband and wife died.
Author note: Last updated September 10, 2026.