The incident began for the Virginia State Police at 9:40 p.m. on April 5, 2023, when a trooper was alerted to a Jeep Cherokee traveling south on I-95 in Fairfax County. The vehicle had improper registration; the wrong license plates were displayed on it.
When the trooper activated his emergency lights, the Jeep pulled off onto the shoulder of I-95. The trooper approached the Jeep and spoke to both the adult male driver and an adult female passenger.
It was not until the trooper returned to his patrol car to verify the driver's information that he learned that the driver was wanted by the New York State Police for abducting the adult female passenger.
Within seconds of receiving that confirmation, the Jeep pulled away from the shoulder and fled south on I-95.
A pursuit was initiated.
The fleeing vehicle initially crashed near the 152-mile marker, when it struck the guardrail, but it kept going south on I-95. State police vehicles were positioned around the Jeep to contain it and bring it to a stop.
Near Exit 148 in Prince William County, the Jeep ran off the right side of the road and crashed into the woods. As soon as the troopers approached the SUV, Davis, who remained in the driver's seat, began shooting at them.
State police returned fire.
Davis and the passenger, Tatiana N. David, 34, of Ithaca, N.Y., sustained injuries.
Once Davis stopped shooting, the troopers were able to safely approach the Jeep. Troopers and assisting agency personnel pulled both Davis and David from the Jeep and immediately began rendering medical aid to both.
Mr. Davis, the accused, was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital for treatment.
Ms. David, the abductee, died at the scene. Her remains were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Manassas for examination and autopsy.
No state police were injured in the shooting.
In accordance with state police policy, the troopers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. A Fairfax County Police Officer was also involved in the shooting.
Two firearms were recovered at the scene.
State police are working with New York authorities in regard to the abduction investigation.
According to NY State Police, the victim and the suspect were in a previous relationship and have a four-year-old child together.
New York State Police have released this information:
April 5, 2023, at about 7:22 a.m., State Police in Ithaca responded to a reported abduction of an adult female at 110 West Hill Circle in the Town of Ithaca. A witness reported the victim, Tatiana N. David, 34, of Ithaca, was forced into a white SUV by the suspect, Michael C. Davis, 34, of Richmond, Va, against her will. An endangered adult alert was then issued statewide by New York State Police and the New York State Intelligence Center with information about the victim, suspect, and vehicle. A command post was established at State Police Ithaca and a search was initiated. The victim and the suspect were in a previous relationship and have a four-year-old child together.
At approximately 9:25 p.m., the suspect vehicle was detected on I-495 crossing into the State of Virginia. Virginia State Police stopped the vehicle, at which time Davis, the operator of the vehicle, fled the scene, leading Virginia State Police on a pursuit that ended when the suspect vehicle crashed in a wooded area at approximately 10:05 p.m., Davis began firing at Virginia State Police, who returned fire. The suspect was critically wounded and was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital and is in critical condition.
The victim, Tatiana N. David, was located deceased outside the vehicle at the crash location with an apparent gunshot wound. Her cause of death is pending investigation and an autopsy is scheduled for later today.
The investigation is ongoing. Any updates will be posted to the New York State Police Newsroom.
