PULASKI COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE
A 25-year-old Pulaski man is in custody after a manhunt on Thursday.
At about 3:42 p.m. officers with the Pulaski Police Department responded to Washington Square Apartments in reference to an individual who had shot at an occupied vehicle.
Officers learned his identity and began searching for him in areas he was known to frequent.
A tip was received that he was dropped off in the area of Bob White Boulevard near the town limits.
A deputy with Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office identified the subject as he was passing by in another vehicle in the 3900 block of the road and initiated a traffic stop.
At this time, the subject got out of the vehicle with the firearm and ran away.
At 7:45 p.m., Lardadian Banian, was taken into custody without further incident. Banian was charged with possession of a firearm by convicted felon.
At this point, the original incident is still under investigation.
UPDATE
Authorities say they have a man in custody.
The man gave up without incident after authorities say he was hiding inside a sunroom.
The man is currently charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and authorities say more charges are pending.
A weapon was not found on the man at the time of this arrest. Police are searching the area, using K-9s to search for a weapon.
ORIGINAL STORY
Multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in a manhunt in Pulaski County after a shooting happened Thursday afternoon.
At 4 p.m., authorities responded to reports of shots fired at the Washington Square Apartments, according to Capt. Andy Anderson, of the Pulaski Police Department.
The alleged shooter was firing at a vehicle, but before authorities arrived, someone picked him up and drove him away.
When a deputy with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office stopped the vehicle the suspect was in, on Bob White Boulevard, the man got out of the car and ran away, armed with a handgun, Anderson said.
Police said there have been possible sightings of the young man all across town.
The Pulaski Police Department is the lead agency in the search, and Virginia State Police, Blacksburg police and Christiansburg officers are assisting.
The person who picked up the suspect from the site of the shooting has been cooperating with authorities, who said the driver didn't realize what the suspect had allegedly done.
Police have the name and a picture of the suspect, which they do not plan to release at this time.
Two elementary schools, a middle school and Pulaski County High School, which are all within a 3-mile radius of the shooting, were placed on lockdown, according to Pulaski County School Board Chairman Timothy Hurst.
Students in the elementary schools and middle school were all let out with the help of deputies and children were sent home safely with their parents, Hurst said.
Authorities are still in the process of working to get some students out of the high school and all evening events at all of the schools have been canceled.
Stay with 10 News for more on this breaking story.