Virginia Man Found Walking Down Street 'Covered In Blood' Allegedly Killed Father

Police say a man found with a knife on the street is responsible for the stabbing death of his father.

Authorities found Axel Buschmann, 26, on Wednesday night covered in blood following “multiple” reports of a man with a knife on a Vienna, Virginia, street, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. The man’s father, Dr. Michael Buschmann, 59, was later found stabbed to death in his home.

Michael Buschmann was an eminent scholar and Chair of George Mason University’s Bioengineering Department in the College of Engineering and Computing, according to a statement from the school.

“A scholar, university leader, and man of compassion and integrity,” the statement read. “His untimely death saddens all who knew and loved him.”

Officers in the Fair Oaks Police District were called to the intersection of Chain Bridge Road and Babcock Road at about 5:33 p.m., according to police. The man, later identified as Axel Buschmann, was found “covered in blood” before he discarded his jacket on the ground.

“Officers observed a kitchen knife near the jacket as he walked away,” said police.

Axel Buschmann was taken to a local hospital for “multiple lacerations to his neck,” according to Lt. Erin Weeks at a Thursday press conference. Police said they could not conclusively determine if the suspect’s injuries were self-inflicted.

While at the hospital, the suspect made several statements, prompting officers to perform a welfare check at his home, where they found Michael Buschmann dead on the scene.

“As officers looked inside the home, they saw a man lying on the ground and appeared to be unconscious,” police said in their statement. “Officers made entry into the home through an unlocked door and found the man suffering from stab wounds to his upper body.”

The suspect was charged with second-degree murder. In a phone call with Oxygen.com, Fairfax Police Public Information Officer confirmed that Axel Buschmann was still being treated in the hospital as of Friday for non-life-threatening injuries.

When asked about possible motives during the press conference, Chief Kevin Davis said the case is still under investigation.

As part of a preliminary investigation, police learned the suspect lived at the home with his father and mother. The mother was not present at the time of the murder.

Michael Buschmann had a 20-year career at the École Polytechnique in Montreal before transferring to the university in 2017 with his wife, Caroline Hoemann, according to the school’s statement. In partnership with the university’s Office of Technology Transfer, Dr. Buschmann formed the start-up business AexeRNA Therapeutics Inc., which licensed the rights of four patent applications. As mentioned by George Mason University Vice President Paul G. Alvin at the press conference, Buschmann’s technology had the potential to make mRNA vaccines (such as the COVID-19 vaccine) more accessible worldwide, with fewer side effects and at cheaper costs.

“We are crushed and anguished by this shocking news of Professor Buschmann’s tragic death,” said Alvin. “We did lose a great mind, a great teacher, and by all accounts, a good and decent human being.”

Michael Buschmann had an extensive list of accomplishments and made contributions in the fields of biomechanics, biomaterials, and nanomedicine. A list of his achievements can be found here.

George Mason University is providing counseling and psychological resources for its employees and students.