State Department Employee Accused of Fatal Stabbing Spree on Highway After Crash, Authorities Report

An employee of the federal government launched a violent stabbing spree on a major interstate near Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of one woman and injuring three others before being fatally shot by a state trooper who arrived at the scene.

Identified as Jared Llamado, aged 32, he was responsible for the death of 39-year-old Michele Adams. The attack also left a 36-year-old woman, a 37-year-old woman, and a 40-year-old woman with severe injuries, according to a statement by the Virginia State Police. Tragically, Llamado also killed his own dog during the incident.

The violence erupted around 1:15 p.m. on a Sunday while Llamado and the victims were traveling along Interstate 495 in Fairfax County, Virginia. This highway, known as the Capital Beltway, forms a ring around Washington, D.C.

A mother and her daughter, who were traveling back to North Carolina, recounted to NBC affiliate WRC how Llamado sideswiped their SUV. Initially, they considered stopping, but soon realized the other driver was not focused on them.

Jennifer Paxton, the daughter, recalled telling her mother, “Hey, let’s pull over,” to which her mother responded, “For what? The guy’s kept going.” They watched as Llamado maneuvered erratically through traffic in pursuit of another car.

They reportedly did end up pulling over behind Llamado’s red SUV. Then, they allegedly saw him start stabbing the people in another vehicle.

A Virginia State Police trooper was called to the scene at about 1:17 p.m. “for a reported road rage incident,” the law enforcement agency said. The trooper arrived and was “confronted” by Llamado, who reportedly still held a knife. The trooper shot the suspect “in self-defense.”

Area Fox affiliate WTTG spoke with a man who claimed he saw the aftermath of the deadly attack.

“I look at the side of the road and I see two people lying on the side of the road; they were about … 10 or 15 feet apart and they were just covered in blood, like, blood everywhere,” the witness said. “One of them was not moving, and one of them was sort of crawling.”

Authorities found the four victims at the scene, where Adams “succumbed to her injuries,” Virginia State Police said. The other three women were taken to area hospitals with “serious injuries.”

After being shot by the trooper, Llamado also had “serious injuries” and was taken to a hospital where he died. The trooper was not hurt.

A preliminary investigation found that none of the women who were stabbed were in Llamado’s vehicle, according to the Virginia State Police, which added that he did not know the victims before the attack. Investigators believe the attack occurred after a crash on Interstate 495 southbound, though how the crash occurred remains under investigation.

Llamado, who lived in Fairfax County, Virginia, was an employee of the U.S. Department of State, a department spokesperson told regional radio outlet WTOP.

“We are aware of the tragic incident that involved a Foreign Service Officer and occurred on Sunday, March 1, in Fairfax County, Virginia. We extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy,” the spokesperson said.

The trooper who shot Llamado has been placed on leave pending the outcome of an investigation, Virginia State Police said.