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Fredericksburg neighbors startled by early morning gunfire, heavy police presence
Many residents in Spotsylvania County are still looking for answers after they woke up to the sound of loud bangs and law enforcement rolling through their neighborhood.
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. - Many residents in Spotsylvania County are still looking for answers after they woke up to the sound of loud bangs and law enforcement rolling through their neighborhood.
Neighbors say they heard loud bangs as officials carried out their operation.
What we know:
The alarming law enforcement presence reportedly happened in a normally quiet neighborhood near Emancipation Highway.
Video showed a large convoy of unmarked black and dark colored SUVs leaving the neighborhood near what neighbors say is an extended stay neighborhood. The video shared with FOX 5 also shows a heavy law enforcement presence at one of the units.
What they're saying:
Some residents say they heard the commotion overnight, and described what they considered suspicious activity.
One resident described it as a series of raids that took place around 5 a.m. Thursday morning.
"It was like a boom last night or something," that neighbor told FOX 5. "A loud boom."
"I saw a car parked right over here," another neighbor said. "I looked over there and I got scared."
Another said they also heard the loud noises.
"I just heard a big boom. I couldn’t see nothing. I just heard it," they said.
Dig deeper:
The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office got back to us Thursday night.
They say the activity was part of a joint operation with the FBI and Virginia State Police as they conducted several search warrants.
Authorities say this had nothing to do with Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.