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Police: Suspect in 8 Virginia slayings surrenders

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-20 21:29

This image shows shooting suspect Christopher Speight, 39, who is being sought in connections with the fatal shootings of eight people in Appomattox, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010.[Agencies]

APPOMATTOX, Virginia: A gunman suspected of killing eight people before he disappeared into dense woods in rural Virginia surrendered without incident early Wednesday, Virginia State Police said.

Sgt. Thomas Molnar said 39-year-old Christopher Speight approached officers at the scene of the shootings at about 7:10 a.m. and turned himself in.

Molnar said Speight was being taken to an undisclosed location to be interviewed. Charges were pending.

Police were still working to positively identify the victims and notify their families.

Molnar didn't know whether Speight was armed when he surrendered.

The drama began around noon Tuesday when a victim was spotted barely alive along the side of a narrow country road. Seven people were found dead inside and outside a nearby home.

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Police surrounded a 2-mile-stretch of heavily wooded terrain overnight. As teams tried to flush out the gunman, he fired at a police helicopter and hit a fuel tank, forcing it to land. No police were injured.

Authorities said Speight was acquainted with the victims, but details of the relationships weren't released. Sheriff O. Wilson Staples said investigators believe Speight had weapons training based on the weapons found in his home, but he declined to elaborate.