In the late afternoon of May 8, 2006, a peaceful day in Chantilly, Virginia was shattered by an eruption of violence at the Sully District Police Station. Master Police Officer Michael E. Garbarino, a 53-year-old Caucasian male and a 23-year veteran of the Fairfax County Police Department, was nearing the end of his shift. He was in his patrol car in the station's parking lot when an 18-year-old, Michael Kennedy, drove a recently carjacked van into the lot and began a sudden and unprovoked attack, firing an AK-47 rifle.
Officer Garbarino was struck five times by the gunfire. Despite his grave injuries, he managed to radio a warning to his fellow officers, urging them to remain inside the station for their safety. This heroic act would be his last in a long and decorated career. The gunman also fatally wounded Detective Vicky Armel, who was in the parking lot and engaged the suspect. The tranquility of the suburban police station had been transformed into a scene of chaos and tragedy.
Responding officers exchanged gunfire with Kennedy, ultimately killing him at the scene. The investigation that followed revealed a troubled history for the young assailant. It was discovered that Kennedy had been arrested just two weeks prior by Fairfax County police for a carjacking that occurred in Montgomery County, Maryland, suggesting a possible motive of retaliation or deeper mental health issues. He was heavily armed at the time of the police station assault, possessing several handguns in addition to the rifle.
Michael Garbarino was airlifted to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he fought for his life for nine days. Surrounded by his family and friends, he succumbed to his injuries in the early morning hours of May 17, 2006. His death was a profound loss for his family, who remembered him as a loving husband and devoted father, and for the law enforcement community, which mourned the loss of a dedicated and courageous officer. He was survived by his wife, two children, parents, and a brother.
