4 stabbed in series of unprovoked attacks; suspect shot dead by officer: Police

Four people were injured, one critically, in a series of unprovoked stabbings in Maryland on Saturday, police said.

The suspect was shot and killed by a police officer following a short pursuit, Montgomery County police said.

Police received two nearly simultaneous reports of stabbings in Silver Spring shortly before 10:40 a.m. local time -- one at a thrift shop and the other at a location nearby, police said.

Responding officers ultimately found three women and one man suffering from stab wounds in the area and rendered aid, according to Montgomery County Police Assistant Chief Darren Francke. Two of the women had been stabbed in the neck, he said.

Civilian witnesses pointed responding officers to the direction the suspect traveled in, toward a wooded area, Francke said. He was located at approximately 10:47 a.m., police said.

The suspect allegedly confronted a police cruiser while armed with a 12-inch butcher knife, according to Francke. The suspect allegedly did not comply with demands from officers to drop the knife and "lunged" toward an officer, leading to the shooting, the police department said.

An officer fired "multiple rounds" at the suspect, neutralizing him, Francke said. Officers rendered aid and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The butcher knife was recovered, Francke said.

The three female victims were transported to area hospitals, one with life-threatening injuries, while the male victim suffered superficial stab wounds and was not transported, Francke said. All victims are expected to survive, he said.

Francke called the attacks unprovoked and "completely random" based on preliminary information.

"We have no indication that the individual that attacked these people knew them," he said.

Police do not have any information on the suspect's identity at this time.

The Maryland Attorney General's Office is investigating the deadly officer shooting. The officer has been placed on administration leave.

A second officer at the scene of the shooting has also been placed on administration leave for his welfare.

Francke described the area as a typically safe one.

"We don't expect this. We certainly don't accept it," he said. "We will look at the history here of why this occurred. But I want to reiterate the community is safe."