MANASSAS, Va. — Family of the man killed in a stabbing at a Manassas trade school are mourning the death of Elijah Islam Safadi.
Prince William County Police identified those involved in the stabbing at a Manassas training facility Tuesday. Responding officers shot and killed the knife-wielding man.
His family is calling him a hero. There is a small memorial growing outside the trade school. Safadi's aunt, Karen Montanez, sent a statement to WUSA9 about her nephew.
“He was a GREAT. He got up everyday to go to work as an electrician. He loved his brother’s (5) total. He was going to be a new father as well. He’s survived by his step father William Hatchett, his mother Michelle Montanez-Hatchett, his biological father Hicham Safadi, brother Julian Montanez, brother Brandon Hatchett, brother Jalen Hatchett, his twin brother Isaiah Safadi and his youngest brother Zachariah Safadi. He was at the school trying to obtain additional certifications," the statement reads.
Family also tells WUSA9 that Safadi was in the classroom with his twin brother and helped save his brother and other people in the class.
One other student said he was in the class when this all happened and he offered aid to one of the students. He also said this is traumatic and they are still trying to wrap their minds around what happened.
RELATED: 'It's horrific' | Police shoot man they say stabbed two people inside Manassas training facility
According to police, Prince William County officers arrived on scene and approached the building, where they say they encountered the armed man at the entrance door. Officers told the man, later identified as 26-year-old Philip Austin Brant of Woodbridge, to drop the knife. Police say Brant moved toward the officers, and the two officers opened fire.
As officers assessed Brant's condition, other officers began searching for the people who were stabbed.
A preliminary investigation found that the stabbing occurred in a classroom within the training center. Brant was in the classroom with one of the Safadi and several other students. For reasons that are still under investigation, Brant pulled a knife from his backpack and began stabbing the Safadi several times. Others in the classroom ran out, and Brant continued to stab the man. That man collapsed inside the classroom. Then police said Brant went to another classroom and stabbed another man.
The other man, a 23-year-old from Fairfax, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Brant was pronounced dead on the scene. The investigation is ongoing, there are still a lot of questions as far as a motive.
Both officers who opened fire on Brant have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation led by the Critical Incident Response (CIRT) team. The officers involved were both assigned to uniformed patrol operations. One of the officers has five years of experience, the other has 1.5 years of experience. The officers have not been identified.
Police are still investigating this case. Anyone with information that may be helpful to detectives should contact the Prince William County Police Department tipline at 703-792-7000.
Meanwhile, the family of Safadi tells WUSA9 that he will be laid to rest Thursday.
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