GLOUCESTER, Va. — A stretch of Route 17 in Gloucester County is back open in both directions after a man "actively shooting" a firearm was located by authorities Thursday afternoon.
In a social media post around 3:20 p.m., the Gloucester County Sheriff's Office said deputies were "dealing with a situation involving a male" firing a gun along George Washington Memorial Highway near the Hunters Heaven area.
The sheriff's office halted traffic on the highway and set up a perimeter to keep drivers safe, as deputies searched for the gunman.
Just before 4 p.m., the sheriff's office said the man and firearm had been located and deputies had "successfully made the area safe." All travel lanes were reopened.
About an hour and a half later, the sheriff's office put out a press release explaining that a man who had been trying to shoot a wild animal in the area had been detained.
Authorities also said that no one had been injured and no damage had been reported.