BURKE, Va. -- A lovesick, gun-toting teenager whose girlfriend spurned his marriage proposal surrendered to police at a high school Thursday and released the last of his nine hostages unharmed.
The sole injury in the 21-hour standoff was suffered by the gunman, James Stevens, 18, of Burke, who received several stitches for a cut on his little finger.
Stevens fired several shots Wednesday afternoon outside Lake Braddock High School, then forced nine adults into an office. He surrendered to police shortly before 10 a.m. EST Thursday, minutes after freeing his final hostage -- the school principal.
Stevens was taken to the Fairfax County adult detention center and held without bond pending arraignment in county court Friday. Stevens, who dropped out of the school last year, was charged with nine counts of abduction and one count of felonious use of a firearm.
Carroll Buracker, Fairfax County police chief, said the nine hostages, and a woman found hiding in an adjacent office, were not harmed.
'The weapon (a .22 rifle) was never pointed at any of the hostages and he did not abuse them physically or verbally,' said police spokesman Warren Carmichael.
Police said they did not know how Stevens hurt his finger, but the injury did not occur during the surrender.
Carmichael said Stevens entered the school, located 20 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday after arguing with girlfriend Rebecca Golas, who had turned down his marriage proposal the night before.
By midnight, five hostages had been released in exchange for pizza, soda, coffee, ice cream and use of a telephone. A sixth was released shortly before 6 a.m. after the phone was cut off.
During the seige, principal John Alwood -- himself a hostage -- and police negotiators 'made steady progress' in their effort to persuade Stevens to give up, Buracker said.
'There were never any demands issued,' the chief said, and Stevens never threatened his hostages.
'We didn't want to overreact to this thing and our main concern was the safety of the hostages,' Buracker said.
Carmichael said Stevens 'seemed at ease' when he surrendered and the hostages appeared 'drained emotionally but generally in good condition.'
Stevens called his father in Texas and several friends during the night 'to tell them what was happening,' Carmichael said. The father, who police did not identify, flew in from Texas early Thursday but did not see his son before the surrender.
Carmichael said police learned of the 10th person through the fifth released hostage, who said she had seen someone slip into an adjacent office.
Thursday's classes for the 4,300 students at the school were canceled, but officials said a scheduled evening performance of 'Oklahoma' would go on.
Shortly after the incident began, teachers said Stevens apparently was able approach the school with the rifle unnoticed because cast members of the musical carrying mock weapons have been a common sight.
Stevens got some unexpected support from a man with a .30-30 rifle who showed up at the school about midnight and was promptly arrested for public drunkenness and weapons violations.
Carmichael said Francis Purcell, 37, told police, 'They were too many cops and only one kid.' The gun was not loaded but Purcell had five cartridges in his pocket.
By 8 a.m. Thursday, Carmichael said, Stevens had set a timetable for releasing the three remaining hostages. At 9 a.m., he released drama teacher Dale Rumberger, 29, of Burke, and Catherine Reppert, a data processing clerk. Principal Alwood came out about 45 minutes later.
'Stevens then put down his gun and surrendered,' Carmichael said.
Friends described Stevens as a 'nice, friendly guy,' who sings and writes country songs, drives a Mustang and often talked about his girlfriend, who was in the school building most of the night.
Police identified the hostages as Tony Crumm, an office aide; Frances Churchman, a parent; Peggy Rydenn, a teacher; Carol Pogharian, a media aide; Francis Ramsey, a data processing clerk; June Harrison, a finance officer; Rumberger, Ms. Reppert and Alwood.
The 10th person was Arline Didier, a reading teacher.
