UPDATE – From Roanoke County Police: Witnesses told police that during the attack, Mr. Farooqui was yelling “Allah Akbar.” Roanoke County Police immediately contacted the FBI. “The FBI is working with the Police Department following the incident that occurred on Saturday evening,” said Adam Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. “While I cannot discuss details of the investigation at this time, I do want to reassure the community that we are working to determine the nature of the incident.” This is all of the information that will be released at this time.
Continue reading for the original press release
From Roanoke County Police: Sunday, August 21, 2016 – Roanoke County Police responded Saturday evening to a reported stabbing at The Pines Apartments in the 4300 block of Banbury Lane (off Rt. 419, near Oak Grove Shopping Center).
Dispatch received a call just before 8:00 p.m. that a male and female had been attacked as they entered the apartment building. Both were attacked with a knife and severely injured. The male was able to fight off the attacker who fled the scene. Roanoke County Fire & Rescue transported both victims to a nearby hospital. Police conducted a search of the area for the suspect.
While officers were at the hospital with the victims, a male, subsequently identified as 20-year old Wasil Farooqui of Roanoke County, came into the emergency room suffering from injuries of his own. He met the description of the suspect in the stabbing. Further investigation by police led to the arrest of Mr. Farooqui. He is charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding. He is being held without bond at the Western Virginia Regional Jail. It is believed that this was a random attack and Mr. Farooqui had no connection to the two victims.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Roanoke County Police Department at (540) 562-3265.
