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UPDATED: Washington Blvd Shut Down After Man Shoots Self in Car

Police car lightsUpdate at 8 p.m. — All lanes are back open.

Update at 6 p.m. — The southbound lanes of Washington Blvd have reopened, but the northbound lanes remain closed due to the police investigation.

Earlier: All lanes of Washington Blvd remains closed near Fort Myer due to a self-inflicted shooting.

The shooting happened just after 3:30 p.m., when an Arlington County Police officer approached a stopped vehicle on the side of Washington Blvd. As the officer was walking up, the man inside the vehicle pulled out a handgun and fired several shots, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Numerous police officers responded to the scene following the shooting, but they took a cautious stance out of safety concerns. The county bomb squad was dispatched to the scene, to investigate the vehicle. At 4:20 p.m., paramedics pronounced the man dead.

The officer who first approached the car is being evaluated by paramedics but is believed to be uninjured. Significant traffic impacts are being reported due to the now-rush hour closure of Washington Blvd between Columbia Pike and Route 50.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is a phone call away. Call CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

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