assault

Convicted felon who was out on bond for weapons charges arrested for Alexandria shooting

By Jo DeVoe
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A man who was arrested for a shooting in Alexandria nearly two weeks ago was released on bond in Arlington on felony weapons charges this past fall.

Arlington resident Tyayre Reynolds, 21, was arrested by officers during a traffic stop along S. Glebe Road on the evening of Friday, Feb. 10. He was later transferred to the custody of the Alexandria Police Department, according to Arlington County police.

Reynolds was wanted in Alexandria in connection with a shooting that happened there that same day, in the Arlandria neighborhood.

A 30-year-old man was shot in the upper body and suffered significant but non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, our sister site ALXnow reported. Reynolds was charged with malicious wounding, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Reynolds was out on bond while awaiting trial for the weapons charges in Arlington, according to court records.

He also previously pleaded guilty in July 2022 to a misdemeanor assault charge after threatening, then shoving, an Arlington Public Safety Aide while his car was towed.

(Public Safety Aide is the term for ACPD personnel who enforce parking regulations and help with traffic control, among other responsibilities.)

Arlington County and Falls Church Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti says her office argued in October for Reynolds to be held in jail for the felony gun possession charges, but he was instead released on bond by a judge.

“We objected to bond… [but] the court made the decision to release him on various conditions,” says Dehghani-Tafti. “We take serious conduct seriously.”

ARLnow requested comment from judges with the Arlington County General District Court, but did not receive a response by publication time. The Office of the Magistrate handles the initial bond decision when the police are charging someone. General District Court judges handle bond motions.

Reynolds was pulled over in the early morning hours of Oct. 20, 2022 because the car he was driving was improperly registered and he didn’t stop at a red light, police allege. He was given two traffic citations, ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage said. Additionally, police searched his car and found a firearm, so they arrested him on charges of being a violent felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

These stem from a felony conviction in Maryland. In September 2018, a then-17-year-old Reynolds was charged as an adult for assault and armed robbery of a food delivery driver in Waldorf, Southern Maryland News Net reported at the time.

Reynolds robbed the worker of $91 in cash at gunpoint, struck him with the butt of the gun, and kicked him while he was down, per the article. He kicked the delivery man in the torso and legs while he was down. Officers found a semi-automatic-style BB gun on the scene, broken in two after it was used to strike the victim.

Maryland Circuit Court records indicate he plead guilty in February 2019 and was sentenced in May 2019 to just over two years in prison.

While Reynolds is being held in Alexandria, he has a court date in Arlington General District Court on March 23. The court is checking on the status of an “evidentiary matter” for his prior felony weapon and ammunition possession case, says Dehghani-Tafti.

This July, he has a hearing on whether or not he has met the conditions of his release for the misdemeanor charge from May, the prosecutor said. Conditions usually include good behavior.

Charges that Tyayre Reynolds faces in Arlington County General District Court (via Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System)

ALXnow reporter James Cullum contributed to this report

Maryland man pleads guilty to road rage incident on GW Parkway

By ARLnow.com
Gavel (Flickr photo by Joe Gratz)

A Maryland man has pleaded guilty to assault after he threatened and stole the keys of a dump truck driver following a crash on the GW Parkway.

The road rage incident happened on Nov. 1 along the Arlington portion of the Parkway. It was prosecuted in federal court since it happened on National Park Service land.

The 58-year-old perpetrator also smashed the window of the dump truck with a baseball bat, federal prosecutors said, leading to the assault charge. He faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty, though actual sentences are usually lower.

More from a U.S. Justice Department press release, below.

A Frederick, Maryland, man pleaded guilty yesterday to assault with a deadly weapon.

According to court documents, Juan Marcus Smith, 58, was driving on the George Washington Memorial Parkway when a motor vehicle accident occurred between his vehicle and a dump truck driven by the victim. Smith pulled in front of the dump truck and brought his vehicle to a complete stop in the righthand lane of the Parkway. He walked over to the victim’s truck, opened the driver’s side door, and brandished a knife while attempting to retrieve the keys to the victim’s dump truck. Smith then returned to his vehicle, recovered a baseball bat, and went back to the victim’s dump truck and struck the driver’s side window, shattering the window while the victim sat inside.

When officers with the United States Park Police arrived at the scene, they found Smith standing outside his vehicle holding the key to the dump truck in the air. They also recovered a folding knife from Smith’s pant pocket and a baseball bat from the back seat of Smith’s vehicle.

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Stock, Acting Chief of U.S. Park Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia T. Giles accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bibeane Metsch are prosecuting the case.

Police investigating after student attacked by group outside of Kenmore Middle School

By ARLnow.com
Police at Kenmore Middle School in May 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) A group of Kenmore Middle School students allegedly attacked a student from another school after a basketball game yesterday.

Police were flagged down around 4:55 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of S. Carlin Springs Road and 2nd Street S. for a report of a fight. They found a student bleeding from the nose, according to scanner traffic, and were told by witnesses that he was assaulted by a group of Kenmore students.

“The officer located the juvenile male victim and determined he was walking in the area with a group of witnesses when they were approached by the five known juvenile male suspects,” the Arlington County Police Department said today in a crime report. “The suspects allegedly followed the group and threw items towards them before assaulting the male victim. The suspects fled the scene prior to the arrival of police and a canvass of the area yielded negative results. The victim was treated on scene by medics for injuries considered non-life threatening. The investigation is ongoing.”

The victim was a Dorothy Hamm Middle School basketball player, two tipsters told ARLnow and an Arlington Public Schools spokesman confirmed. The team played at Kenmore Tuesday afternoon, according to a game schedule. The suspects had just attended the game, we’re told.

Both tipsters separately told ARLnow that the victim later went to the hospital for treatment of a broken nose and other injuries.

Kenmore’s principal sent the following letter to families this afternoon.

Dear Kenmore Families,

I wanted to alert you to an incident that happened outside of Kenmore near the public bus stop after yesterday’s basketball game.

Several students were involved in a verbal and physical altercation with a student from another middle school. The incident started after a verbal altercation near the bus stop and continued up the street.

These actions do not reflect our core values and beliefs at Kenmore and under no circumstances do we condone this type of behavior. We take these incidents very seriously and disciplinary action will be taken. We have contacted the parents of those students directly involved. We ask for your continued partnership in talking with your children about the serious nature of these incidents.

Thank you to community members who stepped up to help the school address this incident. We are committed to being a No Place For Hate School and will continue to promote a positive environment for all.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

David McBride
Principal
Kenmore Middle School

NEW: Police seeking additional victims of teen groping suspect

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Arlington County police are seeking more victims of a teen identified as a suspect after a string of groping incidents.

The incidents happened in and around the Courthouse area this past fall and involved women being grabbed from behind in a sexual manner by an unknown suspect. One involved a woman walking her dog in Courthouse on Nov. 28 and another involved a woman walking or running on the Arlington Blvd Trail on Dec. 7.

So far, police say they have only charged the teen with an incident on Nov. 29 when a female jogger was grabbed from behind. They’re now trying to determine a link to the other incidents and putting out a call for more potential victims to come forward.

More, below, from a just-issued ACPD press release.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit is investigating an Arlington teen after he was charged with assaulting a woman running along the Arlington Boulevard trail.

At approximately 3:05 p.m. on November 29, the female victim was running in the 2000 block of Arlington Boulevard when the male suspect approached from behind, grabbed her buttocks and continued running. In January 2023, detectives identified the 17-year-old male suspect and obtained a petition for Assault and Battery. In accordance with Virginia Code, the identity of the juvenile suspect is not releasable.

Similar incidents were reported in the Clarendon-Courthouse and Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights neighborhoods in November and December 2022 and detectives continue to investigate the suspect’s possible involvement in these incidents. Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe there may be additional incidents that have not been reported to police. Anyone who may have experienced a similar incident is asked to contact Detective C. Mulrain at 703-228-4194 or [email protected]. Information may also be provided anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Crime report: Early morning stabbing and pair of assaults on police

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A man was stabbed inside his apartment in the Arlington Mill neighborhood early this morning.

The stabbing happened after what police described as a dispute between two people who knew each other. A 24-year-old Arlington man was subsequently arrested, charged with Malicious Wounding and held without bond.

More from the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-01230015, 5000 block of 8th Road S. At approximately 1:28 a.m. on January 23, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers located the victim who had sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and rendered aid until the arrival of medics, during which he was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Additionally, responding officers located the suspect on scene and took him into custody without incident. The investigation determined the victim and known suspect were inside the victim’s residence when they became involved in a dispute, during which the suspect allegedly struck him with a knife.

Also in today’s crime report, police detailed two alleged assaults on police officers. One happened early Saturday morning along I-395 while the other happened in the Rosslyn area Sunday evening.

From ACPD:

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-01210052, I-395 South at S. Glebe Road. At approximately 3:24 a.m. on January 21, a patrol officer observed a traffic violation and conducted a traffic stop. During the course of the stop, the suspect exited the vehicle, refused to comply with the commands of officers and continued to approach the suspect vehicle and cruisers. As a result of the investigation, it was determined the suspect would be placed under arrest for Drunk in Public. As the officers attempted to take the suspect into custody, he resisted arrest and assaulted an officer. A struggle ensued and the suspect was subsequently taken into custody with the assistance of additional officers. The officer and suspect sustained minor injuries, the suspect as transported to an area hospital. [The suspect], 43, of Fort Washington, Md. was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police, Obstruction of Justice and Drunk in Public.

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-01220177, 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 5:24 p.m. on January 22, police were in the area on a separate call for service when a lookout was broadcast for a suspect in a larceny in progress. The officers observed the suspect walking in the area and took him into custody. The investigation determined the suspect entered a business, allegedly concealed merchandise in his bag and left without paying. During a search of his person and property incident to arrest, the suspect kicked an officer. [The suspect], 34, of Washington, DC, was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery on Police and Petit Larceny. He was held without bond.

Crime report: Fights lead to shot fired in apartment building, bar patron arrested in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police and Virginia State Police on the Clarendon nightlife detail (file photo)

Arlington County police are investigating after someone fire a gunshot at an apartment building in the Shirlington area.

The incident happened Saturday night on the road that leads from Shirlington to Fairlington, during an apparent argument inside the building. No one was hurt and police are still investigating in an effort to find a suspect.

From today’s ACPD crime report:

SHOT FIRED, 2023-01070239, 4500 block of 31st Street S. At approximately 10:07 p.m. on January 7, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown after receiving reports of an argument and possible shot fired inside a residential building. Responding officers located damage to the ceiling of a hallway which was consistent with the discharge of a firearm. No injuries were reported. There is no suspect description. The investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.

Also in today’s crime report, a Maryland man was arrested early this morning in the Clarendon bar district following a fight inside an establishment.

Police say the suspect left the area, returned, and then led police on a foot chase that ended in a struggle with officers and an arrest.

More from ACPD:

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2023-01090007, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 12:19 a.m. on January 9, police were dispatched to the report of disorderly conduct. Upon arrival, it was determined a fight had occurred inside an establishment. While officers were investigating the circumstances of the incident, the suspect left the scene. A short time later, police were contacted again when the suspect returned to the area. As an officer approached the suspect to continue the investigation, he attempted to flee on foot but was stopped by another officer and a struggle ensued, during which the suspect was non-compliant, actively resisted arrested and assaulted an officer. With the assistance of additional officers, he was taken into custody. During a search of his person incident to arrest, suspected narcotics were recovered. [The suspect], 25, of Columbia, MD was arrested and charged with Obstruction of Justice, Assault on Police, Drunk in Public and Possession of Schedule I/II Controlled Substance.

ACPD: Man exposed himself to girls near Swanson Middle School

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car (file photo)

A man allegedly exposed himself to four girls near Swanson Middle School in Westover.

Police are investigating the incident, which reportedly happened around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The girls told officers they heard a banging sound then saw an older man inside a residence exposing himself through the window.

From yesterday’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

INDECENT EXPOSURE (Late), 2022-12140164, 5800 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 3:43 p.m. on December 14, police made telephone contact with the reporting party regarding a late indecent exposure. The investigation indicates that at approximately 2:30 p.m., the four juvenile female victims were walking in the area when they heard banging and observed the male suspect in the window of a residence allegedly exposing himself. The suspect is described as an older, heavy-set, White male. The investigation is ongoing.

Around the same time on Wednesday, police say a 31-year-old Arlington man kicked and shattered an ART bus door along Columbia Pike. The man is also accused of kicking a police officer after his arrest.

More from ACPD:

ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2022-12140119, Columbia Pike at S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 2:15 p.m. on December 14, police were dispatched to the report of destruction of property. Upon arrival, it was determined that an Arlington Transit bus was slowing to a stop at this location when the suspect approached and allegedly kicked the door, causing the glass panel to shatter. Responding officers located the suspect and took him into custody. While conducting their investigation, the suspect twice kicked a police officer. Yohana Gebremeskel, 31, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Assault on Police, Destruction of Property and Public Intoxication. He was held without bond.

Police: Suspect facing wounding charge for spatula attack

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A warrant has been issued for a suspect who beat a victim with a spatula, causing a significant injury.

The incident happened the afternoon before Thanksgiving, around 3:30 p.m., on the 3400 block of Washington Blvd in Virginia Square. Police did not say exactly where it took place, but that block includes a barbecue restaurant, a hot pot restaurant and a grocery store.

“Police were dispatched to the report of a fight in progress,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the victim and known suspect were involved in a verbal dispute, during which the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a spatula, causing a laceration. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.”

The victim was hospitalized and the resulting criminal charge suggests that his or her injury was significant, though not life-threatening.

“The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries,” the crime report continued. “A warrant for Malicious Wounding was obtained for the suspect. The investigation is ongoing.”

Weekend fisticuffs in Clarendon, shot accidentally fired in Waverly Hills

By ARLnow.com
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

Arlington police handled several significant incidents over the weekend, including a fight in Clarendon that sent a man to the hospital.

The fight happened in the heart of Clarendon’s bar district, on the 3100 block of Clarendon Blvd, early Saturday morning. The victim was trying to break up a dispute between the suspect and a friend when he was struck and seriously injured by the suspect, police say.

More from today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-11050009, 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard. At approximately 12:28 a.m. on November 5, police were dispatched to the report of an assault just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim attempted to break up a verbal dispute between the male suspect and a friend when the suspect allegedly struck the victim, causing injury. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of serious, non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect was located on scene and taken into custody without incident. [The suspect], 30, of Arlington, Va. Was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding. He was held without bond.

Also this weekend, police investigated gunfire in the Waverly Hills neighborhood of northern Arlington on Sunday morning.

In the end, officers determined that a woman accidentally fired a shot while trying to package her gun.

From ACPD:

SHOT FIRED, 2022-11060089, 1900 block of N. Woodrow Street. At approximately 9:37 a.m. on November 6, police were dispatched to the report of a shot fired. Upon arrival, it was determined the female subject was allegedly packaging the firearm to be transported when it discharged. Minor property damage was reported within the home. No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.

Earlier today (Monday), police were dispatched to a report of suspicious individuals in a parking lot and found a half dozen Honda vehicles that had been broken, with the airbags stolen.

The suspects remain at large but officers found a backpack with tools and six airbags, according to ACPD.

LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series, Late), 2022-11070017, 2600 block of S. Cleveland Street. At approximately 2:20 a.m. on November 7, police were dispatched to the report of a late larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined the reporting party observed two unknown individuals wearing face coverings allegedly acting suspiciously in a parking lot. Responding officers canvassed the area and located six Honda vehicles with broken windows and stolen airbags. A search of the area for the suspects yielded negative results, however, a backpack was recovered containing burglarious tools and six airbags. There are no suspect descriptions at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Crime and comment policy: As a reminder, ARLnow generally does not name suspects in crime report articles such as this. We do name suspects if they are a public figure, if their identity is important to the story, or if they are accused of a significant crime — for instance, if they’re the subject of a police press release. Suspect descriptions from police are generally included when not overly vague. Comments are disabled in crime report articles that describe or name a suspect. 

ACPD: Man threw concrete at woman after she wouldn’t talk with him

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A woman suffered a significant injury in Rosslyn this morning after rebuffing a man who then threw a piece of concrete at her, police say.

The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. on the 1900 block of Fort Myer Drive, the same block as a large construction project on the former Holiday Inn site.

The man fled on a bike after striking the woman with the concrete, according to the Arlington County Police Department. The woman was hospitalized in stable condition.

More from an ACPD crime report, below.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2022-11030055, 1900 block of Fort Myer Drive. At approximately 4:37 a.m. on November 3, police were dispatched to the report of an assault in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect approached the female victim and attempted to engage her in conversation. When she refused, the suspect left the area. He soon returned and allegedly threw pieces of broken concrete at her, resulting in a laceration. She was transported to an area hospital in stable condition. The suspect fled the scene on a bicycle and a canvass of the area by responding officers yielding negative results. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 5’6, 160 lbs., with short curly black hair, wearing a red jacket and gray jeans. The investigation is ongoing.

Groups of teens cause minor mayhem in three weekend incidents

By ARLnow.com
Response to fight at the Pentagon City mall (photo courtesy Alan Henney)

Groups of teens were behind some chaotic scenes in Arlington over the weekend.

The latest Arlington County Police Department crime report has three separate items involving groups of juveniles. The first two incidents happened in Pentagon City, at or near the mall.

The first happened late Friday afternoon, when a group of suspects allegedly threatened a security guard during a shoplifting attempt. Three suspects — ages 18 and 19 — were arrested on assault charges.

ASSAULT BY MOB, 2022-10280198, 1200 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 4:21 p.m. on October 28, police were dispatched to the report of an assault by mob. Upon arrival, it was determined a Loss Prevention Officer observed a female subject allegedly conceal a pair of sunglasses before confronting her and recovering the merchandise. A group of male suspects with the female subject then approached the Loss Prevention Officer and allegedly made verbal threats while at least one of the suspects displayed a knife. No injuries were reported. The suspects fled the scene prior to the arrival of police and responding officers located three suspects in the area. Suspect One ignored the commands of officers, resisted arrest and was taken into custody with the assistance of additional arriving officers. During a search of Suspect Two incident to arrest, a folding knife was recovered.

The crime report notes that “all three suspects were released on unsecured bonds.”

That night, police responded to Washington-Liberty High School for a report of four teens sneaking into the football game against McLean (W-L won 43-13), running through the stands and twice pushing someone to the ground. The bike-riding, ski-mask-wearing suspects fled the scene and police are still investigating.

From ACPD:

ASSAULT BY MOB, 2022-10280255, 1300 block of N. Stafford Street. At approximately 9:10 p.m. on October 28, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. Upon arrival, it was determined four unknown juvenile suspects climbed a fence and entered the stands of the stadium. As the suspects were running through the stands, they knocked the male [victim] to the ground twice before fleeing the scene. The victim refused medics on scene. The suspects are described as males wearing black hoodies and ski masks and riding bicycles. The investigation is ongoing.

The next day, around 5:30 p.m., a report of groups of teens fighting inside the food court at the Pentagon City mall drew a large police response.

One girl who was wanted in D.C. was arrested and now faces additional charges after allegedly assaulting police.

ASSAULT & BATTERY ON POLICE, 2022-10290193, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 5:32 p.m. on October 29, police responded to the report of a fight involving groups of juveniles inside a food court. Responding officers separated the groups and no significant injuries were reported related to the fight. During the course of the investigation, one juvenile was determined to be wanted out of Washington D.C. and she assaulted officers as they attempted to detain her. She was taken into custody and petitions for Assault on Police were obtained.

The police response to that incident was noted on social media.

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