Police identify victims killed in bloody stabbing incident

Fairfax County Police have identified the victims killed in a bloody stabbing incident on Feb. 23 and the perpetrator killed in a police-involved shooting.

Mamta Thapa, 33, and Binda Thapa, 52, were stabbed shortly before 5 a.m. at Margate Manor in the 3900 block of Persimmon Circle in the Mantua area of Fairfax.

When police arrived in response to a 911 call, they encountered a woman with stab wounds outside the apartment. Inside the residence, they found Chhatra Thapa, 54, in the process of stabbing his son-in-law with a curved knife. When Thapa failed to follow commands to drop the knife, an officer shot him. Thapa died at the scene.

Binda, Chhatra’s wife, and Mamta, Chhatra’s daughter, had already been stabbed. They were transported to the hospital, where they were pronounced deceased. Mamta’s husband is hospitalized with critical wounds.

Related story: Man who stabbed family members to death killed by police

A one-year-old boy inside the residence was unharmed. The Victim Services Division, in coordination with Child Protective Services, has located and arranged an appropriate family placement.

The officer involved in the shooting has been with the police department for two and a-half years and is assigned to the Mason Police District. The officer has been placed on a restricted duty status pending the outcome of criminal and administrative investigations, the FCPD states. 

The Major Crimes Bureau is conducting a criminal investigation into the use of force, and the Internal Affairs Bureau is conducting a separate administrative investigation, which will be subject to an independent review by the Independent Police Auditor.

The results of the criminal investigation will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. In accordance with department policy, body-worn camera footage will be released within 30 days, and the officer’s name will be released within 10 days.