Police Name, Charge Suspect in Falls Church Standoff

James Rackowski, the armed man responsible for a more than with police this week in Falls Church, has been charged with discharging a firearm within a building, according to police.

Rackowski, 57, is still being treated at Inova Fairfax Hospital, said Susan Finarelli, spokeswoman for the City of Falls Church.

Finarelli said there is no word on any other charges.

Rackowski’s sister met police outside the home in the 600 block of Hillwood Ave. on Monday just after 4 p.m. The woman allegedly told police Rackowski doused himself with gasoline and threatened to set himself and the house on fire, according to a release from the city.

As officers got Rackowski’s father out of the house, they reported a strong odor of gasoline inside and saw that the distressed man had a handgun. At least three gunshots were heard from inside the home but no one was hit. For more than 28 hours, police tried to get Rackowski to surrender peacefully—and even played a recorded message from his family through a directional speaker in attempts to lure him out peacefully.