Police identified the suspect as Christopher Speight, 39.

He approached a law enforcement officer and surrendered sometime early Wednesday, police said in a brief statement to the news media.

Virginia police say they believe Christopher Speight, 39, shot eight people to death.

Authorities think he acted alone in the shootings, said Virginia State Police spokesman Tom Molinar.

Seven people were killed in and around a home in Appomattox, about 75 miles southwest of Richmond, in central Virginia, and the eighth was found in the middle of a road, Molinar said. Males and females were killed, but authorities did not provide their ages.

Speight was acquainted with his victims, but the nature of the relationships was not clear, according Corinne Geller of the Virginia State Police.

Police were trying to determine a motive.

The investigation started Tuesday afternoon with a 911 call reporting a man lying in the middle of Route 703.

"The male subject was transported by Med-Flight State Police helicopter to Lynchburg General Hospital, where the man later died," State Police said.

On arrival at the scene, police heard gunshots in the area. A search turned up seven bodies.

Police established a perimeter around a large area of Appomattox County on Tuesday afternoon, Molinar said, suspecting Speight was within it. The manhunt included canine units and helicopters.

"During the course of the search Tuesday afternoon, a State Police helicopter was shot by the suspect," the State Police said in a statement. "The helicopter was struck at least four times" and "was able to make an emergency landing in a field near the scene."