Sterling, VA — A construction site in Loudoun County, Virginia—an area known as the "Data Center Alley" of the United States—became the scene of a violent altercation Thursday morning when a man was stabbed following a dispute.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun County Fire and Rescue responded to the scene at the 21000 block of Beaumeade Circle just after 9 a.m., where they located an adult male victim suffering from a stab wound. Emergency personnel quickly transported the man to a local hospital. Authorities later confirmed that the injuries were non-life-threatening.

“Deputies found one adult male with a stab wound; he was subsequently transferred to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” said the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in a statement.

According to early reports from local media, the incident appears to have stemmed from a verbal or physical dispute between two workers at the site. Authorities have not released the names of those involved but confirmed that a person of interest has been identified and taken into custody.

“The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has advised the local populace to avoid the area,” the department posted via its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

The incident occurred in one of the busiest tech development zones in the country. Beaumeade Circle in Sterling is home to several data center operators, including H5 Data Centers, PowerHouse Data Centers, CloudHQ, and Equinix, all of which have either active construction projects or operational facilities in the area.

While the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation, construction activity on the site is expected to be impacted as law enforcement completes its work and interviews witnesses. It's unclear at this time whether the incident will affect development timelines for any of the companies operating at or near the site.

Officials have not yet disclosed what led to the altercation or whether any charges have been filed. The Sheriff’s Office said it will release more details as the investigation progresses.

Loudoun County, located in Northern Virginia, is a global hotspot for data center construction due to its robust power infrastructure and proximity to major fiber routes. However, as the sector expands rapidly, so too do the challenges of managing large construction workforces and maintaining on-site safety.

DCD (Data Center Dynamics) has reached out to local authorities and construction firms associated with the Beaumeade Circle site for comment and will provide updates as new information becomes available.

Originally reported by Zachary Skidmore in Data Center Dynamics.