A woman was shot and injured by CIA security officers outside the agency’s headquarters in McLean, Virginia, early Thursday morning after she crashed a vehicle into a gate.
The shooting was nonfatal, and the woman, preliminarily identified as 27-year-old Monia Spadaro, is in custody and receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.
The incident occurred around 4 a.m. ET in the 900 block of Dolley Madison Boulevard, according to a statement from the Fairfax County Police Department. CIA security officers opened fire after Spadaro approached the front gates of the agency in a car, a law enforcement source and another person familiar with the matter told NBC News. It remains unclear what prompted the officers to shoot.
“There was a security incident that law enforcement responded to outside CIA Headquarters,” a CIA spokesperson said, CNN reported. “The main gate is currently closed until further notice. Additional details will be made available as appropriate.
Fairfax County police responded to assist CIA police with traffic control following the incident and are continuing to provide traffic support while the CIA conducts its investigation, according to a police statement. No further details about Spadaro’s condition were immediately available.
Two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the incident said Spadaro had a prior arrest for driving under the influence in 2021, with court records from Arlington General District Court indicating she was found guilty. Authorities are investigating whether Spadaro may have been intoxicated at the time of Thursday’s crash, though no confirmation has been provided.
The CIA has advised employees to seek alternative routes due to the closure of the main gate. Authorities have stated there is no known connection between this incident and the shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.
The investigation is ongoing, with the CIA leading the inquiry and Fairfax County police providing support.
