By Clarence Williams and Martin Weil
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, November 16, 2008

A man was found fatally shot last night in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County, and heavily armed county police took someone into custody after hours of intense searching.

The victim in the county's 14th homicide of the year was found about 7 p.m. in the 5400 block of Forest Avenue, a street north of Franconia Road.

"We believe both the victim and the shooter were known to each other," said Mary Ann Jennings, a police spokeswoman. Police said they were searching for a man with a shotgun who left the scene.

About 11:15 p.m., officers seized a man in a garage in the neighborhood, police said. As of early this morning, no charges had been filed.

Residents of the area, which is about one mile southeast of the Van Dorn Street exit on the Capital Beltway, had been asked to stay inside while police searched. An armored vehicle and a helicopter were deployed.

The news surprised residents.

"This is bizarre," said Sherif Hassanein. "This is unheard of." Another neighbor said fistfights sometimes occurred. "But I've never seen any weapons or stuff," he said.

Fairfax usually records between 10 and 22 homicides a year. Last year's figure was 13.