Virginia shooting: lone gunman kills seven in one house

State police said officers had the suspect, Christopher Speight, 39, circled in the woods near the home and they believed he was still alive. The eighth shooting victim was found on the side of the road and died on the way to the hospital, police said. All the victims were adults and both men and women were killed, state police Sgt. Thomas Molnar said.

Police refused to speculate on a motive and would not say what type of weapon was used. Sgt Molnar also gave no background on the suspect.

The drama paralysed the rural area as police swarmed forests trying to flush out the suspect who, at one point in the manhunt, fired at a state police helicopter, forcing it to land with a ruptured fuel tank. No police were injured after one or more rounds struck the helicopter.

Canine units and a National Guard helicopter with thermal imaging equipment were being used to search the woods.

"They are searching the area and will continue until the suspect is apprehended," sGt Molnar said.

The violence began shortly after noon when the injured man was found on a rural stretch of road. A deputy who went to investigate fled after he heard gunshots, police spokeswoman Corrine Geller said.

"When the deputy arrived on the scene, that's when he heard several shots," Sgt Molnar said.

Police did not release the victims' names or the suspect's possible relationship to them.

Authorities told nearby residents to stay inside and a small Christian school was locked down until state police could escort about 60 children from the building.

Appomattox is in a county of about 15,000 approximately 100 miles southwest of Richmond. It is best known as the place where Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his army in 1865 to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to end the US Civil War.

中文相关新闻（摘自中国新闻网）

中新社华盛顿一月十九日电 美国弗吉尼亚警方透露，该州十九日发生的枪击事件，至少已造成八人死亡，数人受伤。目前，枪手仍在逃，警方正在全力搜捕。

这起事件发生于弗吉尼亚州阿波马托克斯郡辖区，一名单独行动的枪手打死、打伤多人后逃亡，还朝警方和跟踪他的警用直升机开枪，并击中直升机后燃料箱致其破裂，迫使直升机放弃跟踪后紧急降落检修。

警方表示，现在还不清楚凶手和遇难者之间的具体关系，但已经掌握了凶手的真实身份。不过，有关方面拒绝透露这名嫌犯的姓名或者其他资料。

此前，警方已派出百余人包围了枪手可能藏身的树林。十九日晚些时候，警方动用多只警犬、一架国民警卫队直升机以及热成像设备在案发地附近的树林继续搜索嫌犯。警方已要求居民锁好门窗留在家中，以确保自身安全。

阿波马托克斯郡位于弗吉尼亚州首府里士满西南方向约一百六十公里处，距美国首都华盛顿约三百二十公里。有关资料显示，本次发生枪击事件的地区恰好就是美国南北战争时期，南方叛军指挥官向北方政府军将领投降的地点。