Eight police officers hurt when suspect sets fire to electronics in his oven

Eight Fairfax County police officers required medical attention for burns, smoke inhalation and other injuries because of a fire set by a domestic violence suspect.

The officers responded to an apartment in the 11800 block of Federalist Way in Fairfax, near Lee Highway and the Fairfax County Government Center, about 10 a.m. Monday. Someone had called police to report screams and the sound of breaking glass in the apartment.

When police arrived, they found that a woman inside the apartment had been hurt, and a man in the apartment had just stuffed electronics into his oven and set the kitchen on fire.

The man confronted the officers, naked, in a stairwell. He hit two officers multiple times, then dragged one of them down the flight of stairs, police said.

The police department said in a statement that two officers then used pepper spray to try to subdue the man, and more officers rushed to the scene.

While those officers helped residents get out of the surrounding apartments to avoid the fire, one officer’s arm was burned and others suffered smoke inhalation and pepper spray exposure, police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said.

Caldwell said that all eight officers who were taken to a hospital have been released and are expected to make full recoveries.

The man was identified as Hussani White, 26. He was charged with assaulting police officers and attempted arson.

Caldwell said that the woman, an acquaintance who did not live with White, declined to be taken to a hospital.