Three Lives Altered by a Morning That Began Like Any Other

There is a quiet rhythm to the start of a workday—the coffee, the small talk, the settling into tasks that will fill the hours ahead. At United Rentals in Manassas, Virginia, that rhythm was broken Wednesday morning by gunfire. A newly transferred employee pulled a pistol from his waistband and shot three coworkers, killing two and wounding a third before fleeing. Hours later, after a pursuit along Interstate 81, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a standoff with state police.

Police received calls about an active shooter at 9415 Wellington Road shortly after 7 a.m. . Chief Douglas Keen of the Manassas City Police said the suspect, 37-year-old Marvin Grant of Charlotte, North Carolina, arrived at work and told a coworker that “three people are going to die” before an altercation led to the shooting . Grant fled in a silver Toyota Camry .

The victims were identified as Ricky Lamot, 48, and Christopher Serrano, 33. Both were taken to a hospital, where they died of their injuries . A third employee was hospitalized and is expected to survive, though he will require surgery . Chief Keen said he knew Lamot personally, describing him as a man “dedicated to coaching youth football.” He added, “Knowing his children are now fatherless, it hits home” .

Grant was spotted later that morning driving south on Interstate 81 in Augusta County. When troopers attempted a traffic stop at a rest area, he got out of his car, then returned to it and continued driving, leading officers on a pursuit . Near mile marker 227, he pulled over and stepped out with a firearm pointed at his head . A tactical team and a negotiator responded, and after a standoff of about an hour, Grant shot himself. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Virginia State Police said no troopers fired their weapons .

Nearby schools were placed on lockdown during the response and subsequent manhunt; those lockdowns were later lifted . Investigators are still working to determine a motive. Chief Keen said Grant was a relatively new employee, and police are examining why he had changed the vehicle’s license plates sometime between midnight and the shooting . “Some may consider the case closed with the death of Mr. Grant,” Keen said, “but it brings no closure to this case” .

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Sources: ABC News, BNO News, WSLS, WRIC, FOX 56 News