Man fires flaregun at Loudoun deputies

A Sterling man faces charges of assault on a law enforcement officer and other felonies after he fired a flare gun at Loudoun County Sherrif's deputies who were responding to a call, county authorities said.

Deputies went to a home at about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday after getting a report of an assault involving two men, said authorities. They found a 44-year-old man barricaded in a room and threatening to hurt himself.

Deputies entered the room after hearing a pop and seeing smoke coming from the room, authorities said. As they entered, the man fired a flare gun that missed a deputy.

The man, who was not named, was taken to INOVA Loudoun Hospital. He was charged with four counts of assault on law enforcement and one count each of discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling and domestic assault, all felonies.

Last month, a man fired a flare gun in a Prince George's County emergency room.

-- David P. Marino-Nachison