The standoff between authorities and an armed, barricaded woman along a busy Virginia highway eclipsed more than 30 hours late Wednesday.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the standoff began about 11 a.m. Tuesday when the woman barricaded herself inside a car in Alexandria, a northern Virginia city just outside of Washington, D.C.
“We are still on scene of the barricade in the 7400 (block) of Richmond Hwy. A woman remains in a vehicle armed with a handgun,” the department tweeted about 9:00 p.m. Wednesday. “Richmond Hwy remains closed between Lockheed (Boulevard) and Boswell (Avenue).”
Crisis negotiators and special operations division members are working to peacefully resolve this barricade, the agency reported.
14 minutes:Visual timeline of Nashville school shooting from break-in to police response
Dolphins under attack:33 swimmers accused of harassing pod of dolphins in Hawaii
Police said the closure was expected to impact rush hour traffic and were asking drivers to avoid the area.
Police spokesperson Lt. James Curry told local outlet ABC7 a team of negotiators are in communication with the woman, who barricaded herself after a brief police chase Tuesday morning.
It was not immediately known why police were pursuing the woman.
“The goal here is to have her come out peacefully and resolve this,” Curry told the outlet.
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.