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New York Woman Abducted, Killed in Shootout Between Kidnapper, Virginia Police
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A woman believed to have been abducted in New York state is dead after a chase and shootout between state troopers and her suspected kidnapper on an interstate highway in Virginia Wednesday night.

New York State Police said earlier on Wednesday that Michael C. Davis, 34, forced Tatiana David, 34, into an SUV in Ithaca and drove off with her. Davis and David had been in a relationship previously and had a four-year-old child together, they said.

David’s brother, Emanuel Espada, told the Washington Post that Wednesday was his sister’s birthday and that she and Davis had been battling over custody of their son.

At about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, a Virginia State Police trooper saw an SUV traveling southbound on Interstate 95 in Fairfax County that matched the description of the one involved in the abduction and with the wrong license plates attached. The trooper initiated a traffic stop and took the driver’s information back to the patrol vehicle to verify, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

Davis took off when the trooper walked away to his vehicle. That trooper headed off in pursuit, joined by others, Geller said. The pursuit lasted for about 20 miles before Davis ran off the road and crashed in Prince William County, not far from Marine Corps Base Quantico. Authorities said he opened fire at troopers as they approached the vehicle, and they returned fire.

A Fairfax County police officer arrived on the scene after the crash but while the shootout was taking place and also fired, Fairfax officials said.

Davis was critically wounded and flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital for treatment. David was found dead outside the vehicle.

Virginia State Police said the troopers involved were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. No troopers were wounded, and a firearm was recovered from the SUV.

Geller said that the state agency’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation is working to determine whether the use of force was justified and will turn over its findings to the commonwealth’s attorney’s office.

Police have not said whose bullets struck David, but an autopsy has been scheduled.

Traffic in the area was a major headache for hours, well into the morning commute, as the southbound lanes of I-95 were closed in the area.

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[Featured image: Tatiana David, left, and Michael Davis/New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services]