Fairfax County Police Shoot Domestic Violence Suspect in Annandale, VA

On July 28, 2024, Fairfax County police responded to a domestic violence call at the 7000 block of Sutter Lane in Annandale, Virginia. The suspect, 26‑year‑old Nehemia Fuentes Banegas, was armed with two knives, had self‑inflicted wounds, and fled the residence. While searching a nearby wooded area, he emerged from brush, seized an officer’s firearm, and attempted to disarm the officer. The officer discharged his weapon three times, grazing the suspect’s shoulder; a second officer deployed a taser. Fuentes Banegas was taken to a hospital with non‑life‑threatening injuries, then transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with attempted disarming of a law‑enforcement officer, among other offenses.

The department’s Real Time Crime Center used nearby camera footage to locate the suspect’s movements and recover the discarded knives. The involved officer, a 12‑year veteran of the K9 unit, has been placed on restricted duty pending a criminal investigation by the Major Crimes Bureau, an administrative review by Internal Affairs, and an independent audit. Body‑worn camera footage is to be released within 30 days.