ANNANDALE, VA — A Sunday afternoon on the Capital Beltway turned into a scene of "pure terror" when a 32-year-old federal employee allegedly went on a stabbing rampage following a minor car crash. The incident left one woman and a dog dead, three other women seriously injured, and the suspect deceased after a confrontation with law enforcement.
The chaos broke out around 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, 2026, on the southbound lanes of Interstate 495 near Exit 52 (Little River Turnpike).
The Rampage and Response Virginia State Police (VSP) report that the violence stemmed from a property-damage collision that escalated into extreme road rage.
The Attack: The suspect, identified as Jared Llamado of McLean, Virginia, exited his red SUV and allegedly began stabbing four women who were in a separate vehicle involved in the crash.
The Victims: Michele Adams, 39, of Fairfax, was killed in the attack. Three other women—aged 36, 37, and 40—were rushed to a local hospital with serious stabbing injuries.
The Suspect’s Dog: Investigators found Llamado’s own dog deceased inside his vehicle; police confirmed the animal had also been stabbed to death by its owner.
Officer-Involved Shooting: A Virginia State Trooper arrived on the scene at 1:17 p.m. Upon arrival, the trooper was "confronted" by Llamado, who was still brandishing a knife. The trooper fired his service weapon in self-defense, striking Llamado.
Llamado was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died from his wounds. The trooper was not injured and has been placed on administrative leave, per standard department policy.
Suspect Profile: A Federal Employee The U.S. State Department confirmed on Monday that Llamado was a Foreign Service Officer working in a technology-related role.
"We are aware of the tragic incident that involved a Foreign Service Officer... We extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement.
Eyewitness Accounts Witnesses Sarah Kober and her daughter Jennifer Paxton described a harrowing scene to local reporters. They were driving home to North Carolina when Llamado's SUV sideswiped their car before he focused his attention on a different vehicle ahead of them. "I didn't know if he was going to come back at us," Kober said. "We saw him stabbing the women and we just ran. We didn't know what else to do."
Investigation Status The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney is reviewing the incident alongside the VSP Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Preliminary findings indicate that Llamado did not know the victims prior to the crash. While the motive for such an extreme escalation remains unclear, authorities have stated the incident is not believed to be terrorism-related.