Authorities in Fairfax County, Virginia, have identified a man fatally shot in what detectives continue to believe was an act of self-defense by a homeowner.
Twenty-four-year-old Eduardo Santos, a Herndon resident, died Wednesday evening after being shot in an Oakton residence, the Fairfax County Police Department said in a news release.
Detectives determined a homeowner in the 11400 block of Waples Mill Road noticed Santos on his property around 6 p.m. Wednesday and asked him to leave. Santos is then said to have assaulted the homeowner with a stick, and made it several feet inside the house with “a large landscaping rock” before the homeowner retrieved a gun and opened fire.
Officers responding to the scene found Santos suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The homeowner, who was injured from a fall during the attack, was transported to a hospital for treatment. Two other adults and two children who were inside the home during the incident were not injured.
In a Friday update, Fairfax County police said investigators were still working to ascertain what led Santos to the home on Waples Mill Road, adding that detectives do not believe Santos and any of the home’s occupants knew each other.
Law enforcement said Santos had been in the area of Waples Mill Road for several hours on Wednesday afternoon, and that officers had earlier fielded two calls involving Santos acting suspiciously.
“Santos refused to speak to police, and he walked away from the area,” FCPD said in a statement. “During the second incident, Santos was not found.”
Anyone with information about Santos is asked to contact law enforcement by calling 703-246-7800 and dialing option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1-866-411-8477.
