bomb threat

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Reaction to Las Vegas Shooting — Reactions from local officials are beginning to come in in response to the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert, which is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. “Will the corporate gun lobby please wake up? #PrayersAreNotEnough #HowManyMore?” tweeted state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D). Meanwhile, a “gun violence prevention roundtable” planned today in Alexandria, with former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, has been cancelled “in light of today’s events.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Stats Behind Arlington’s Millennial Growth — The growth rate of Arlington’s millennial population between 2007 and 2013 was 82 percent, the highest in the nation. Meanwhile, development and transportation stats bear out how Arlington is growing and attracting young people. For instance, only 44 percent of Arlington’s population drives alone to work, compared to the 76.4 percent national average. [Bisnow]

Conservative Reporter vs. Donut Store Employee — Ashley Rae Goldenberg, a reporter for the conservative Media Research Center who goes by the Twitter handle @Communism_Kills, says she was harassed on Twitter by an employee of the new Dunkin’ Donuts store in Virginia Square. [Twitter]

Bomb Threat at Rosslyn Building — Updated at 11:15 a.m. — Someone called 911 with a bomb threat against an office building on the 1100 block of Wilson Blvd Thursday evening. That is the same block as TV station WJLA (ABC 7). No explosives were found during a police search of the building. [Patch, Arlington County]

Teen Provides Art to the Formerly Homeless — Allison Stocks, a 15-year-old sophomore at Yorktown High School, founded a nonprofit that takes donations of art and then provides it to those “making the transition from homeless shelters into permanent housing,” thus helping to cover bare walls and make their new home feel more homey. [Washington Post]

Local Gamer Raises Money for Hurricane Relief — In the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, local resident Scott Jones helped raise more than $1,700 for disaster relief by broadcasting a 24-hour video game marathon from his Arlington apartment. Jones is one of numerous gamers who have used their gaming skills to raise serious cash for charitable causes. [Los Angeles Times]

Sports Pub Employees to Stand During Anthem — Late last week the Crystal City Sports Pub (529 23rd Street S.) sent a press release to broadcast outlets saying that its employees would “stand united for the national anthem” during Sunday’s football games. [WJLA]

Bomb Threat Received at Police Headquarters

By Chris Teale

Someone phoned in a bomb threat to the county’s Emergency Communications Center in Courthouse yesterday morning.

The threat was made just before 9 a.m. on July 5. It prompted a sweep of the building, which houses the Arlington County Police Department’s headquarters and the local courts. No explosives were found.

A similar threat was made last September on police headquarters. No explosives were found that time either.

From an ACPD crime report:

BOMB THREAT, 2017-07050054, 1400 block of N. Courthouse Road. At approximately 8:57 a.m. on July 5, an anonymous subject called in and stated there was a bomb in the building. Multiple units responded to the scene and conducted a search for a device with negative results.

Crime Report: Bomb Threat in Rosslyn Office Building

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:35 a.m.) An office in Rosslyn received a bomb threat last week, but no explosives were found.

The incident happened Wednesday morning on the 1100 block of Wilson Blvd. There are two office buildings on that block, though police did not specify which one was affected. The business that received the threat was education-related, we’re told.

Police say the bomb threat was received via a letter, which was found by an employee. No threats were found during a K-9 sweep of the building.

More from this week’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BOMB THREAT, 2017-05310114, 1100 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 10:36 AM on May 31, police responded to the report of a bomb threat. The investigation determined that an employee discovered a letter alleging there was an explosive device inside the building. A K-9 sweep of the building was conducted with negative results. There is no suspect(s) description.

The rest of the past week’s crime report highlights, including some that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

(more…)

DEVELOPING: Bomb Squad Investigating Threat in Douglas Park

By Chris Teale
1/5

Update at 5:05 p.m. — The fire department said 16th Street S. is reopened after the investigation of a bomb threat earlier this afternoon. The scene has now been turned over to Arlington police, and the house being investigated for the possible bomb was deemed safe.

Earlier: Emergency crews closed 16th Street S. between S. Quincy Street and S. Pollard Street in the Douglas Park neighborhood while they investigate a bomb threat.

At around 3 p.m., police had contact with a person threatening self-harm near S. 16th Street and Quincy Street. Police said the person then indicated a house in the area may contain an explosive device. The person was removed from the scene, police said.

While the bomb squad investigates the threat, police evacuated neighbors and are preventing vehicles and pedestrians from entering the area. Also on scene was a fire truck and medic from the Arlington County Fire Department as well as a half-dozen police cruisers.

“We’re just taking all precautions,” a fire department spokeswoman said at the scene.

Bomb Threat Prompts Police Investigation in Crystal City

By Tim Regan

Police car lightsSomeone phoned in a bomb threat to a building in Crystal City earlier this week, prompting a police search.

The threat was called in to a residential building on the 1900 block of S. Eads Street — the same block as the large Crystal House apartment complex — just after 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Arlington County Police officers with bomb-sniffing dogs swept the building, but no explosives were found. The building was not evacuated.

Police are still looking for the person who called in the threat.

From an ACPD crime report:

BOMB THREAT, 2017-02220081, 1900 block of S. Eads Street. At approximately 8:38 a.m. on February 22, an unknown subject called in a bomb threat. A K9 sweep was conducted with negative results. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

Crime Report: Bomb Threat at Police Headquarters

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsSomeone phoned in a bomb threat to the county’s Emergency Communications Center in Courthouse yesterday afternoon.

The threat prompted a sweep of the building, which houses Arlington County Police headquarters and local courts. No explosives were found.

From an ACPD crime report:

BOMB THREAT, 160920028, 1400 block of N. Courthouse Road. At approximately 1:19 p.m. on September 20, an anonymous subject called in and stated there was a bomb in the building. Multiple units responded to the scene and conducted a search for a device with negative results.

Also in this week’s crime report is a case where a language barrier foiled a robbery.

The incident happened on the 4700 block of Columbia Pike on Friday afternoon. Police say the victim couldn’t understand what the suspect was saying, although he did apparently imply that he had a weapon.

ATTEMPTED STRONG ARM ROBBERY… At approximately 3:15 p.m. on September 16, an unknown male approached a male victim and made threats implying that he had a weapon. There was a language barrier between the suspect and the victim. The suspect fled on foot. While on scene an additional victim came forward alleging a similar described suspect attempted to rob him of his personal belongings. The suspect is described as a light skinned male, possibly Middle-Eastern or Hispanic, approximately 5’8″ tall with a large build. He had a bald head and was wearing an orange shirt and black shorts. The investigation is ongoing.

The rest of the past week’s crime report highlights, including a few that we’ve already reported, after the jump.

(more…)

Crime Report: Gunshot and Bomb Threat

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA bomb threat called into the Arlington County courthouse building yesterday prompted a sweep with bomb-sniffing dogs.

An unknown male caller phoned in the bomb threat Tuesday afternoon. No explosives were found.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BOMB THREAT, 160816032, 1400 block of N. Courthouse Road. At approximately 1:20 p.m on August 16, an unknown male subject called an office within the courthouse building and made a bomb threat. A K-9 sweep of the building was conducted with negative results. There is no suspect(s) description.

On Monday night, a resident in the Radnor/Fort Myer Heights neighborhood, near Rosslyn, reported hearing a loud “pop” inside their home.

Police arrived and found that a single gunshot had been fired into the residence. From ACPD:

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED DWELLING, 160815043, 1200 block of N. Rhode Street. At approximately 9:17 p.m. on August 15, two residents heard a loud pop inside their residence. Upon police investigation, it was determined that a single gunshot round had entered the residence causing minor damage. Police conducted checks in the area and found no similar incidents. There is no suspect(s) description and the investigation is ongoing.

The rest of the past week’s crime report highlights, after the jump.

(more…)

K-9 Units Responding to Bomb Threats at Noodles and Company

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County and Pentagon police are responding to two Noodles and Company restaurants in Arlington due to bomb threats.

According to initial reports, someone phoned in multiple bomb threats to the Noodles and Company restaurants at 2011 Crystal Drive in Crystal City and 1201 S. Joyce Street on Pentagon Row.

The restaurants have been evacuated, we hear, and bomb-sniffing dogs from the Pentagon Force Protection Agency are en route to sweep the area.

Delays on Metro After Earlier Bomb Scare at Clarendon Station

By ARLnow.com

ACPD K9 unitNormal service is starting to resume at the Clarendon Metro station after an earlier bomb scare.

Around 7:30 a.m., police and bomb squad units responded to the station for a report of a suspicious person who might have had explosives.

Bomb-sniffing dogs swept a Metro train at the station but did not find anything. The scene has since been cleared, although Metro riders should expect residual delays.

Police Investigated Bomb Threat at Pentagon City Starbucks

By ARLnow.com

ACPD K9 unitPolice investigated a bomb threat at a Starbucks in Pentagon City late last week.

The incident happened around 8 a.m. on Friday, Arlington County Police said today, after a Starbucks employee found a threatening note on the floor.

“Business was being conducted as usual when officers arrived,” ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage said. “K9s swept the store periodically throughout the day with negative results. There is no suspect description.”

The Starbucks was reported to be on the 1100 block of S. Joyce Street, at the Pentagon Row shopping center. Friday (April 1) was April Fool’s Day.

UPDATED: Bishop O’Connell High School Evacuated Due to Threat

By ARLnow.com
1/6

Update at 6 p.m. — Arlington County Police have issued the following statement about today’s incident.

Staff at Bishop O’Connell High School contacted an Arlington County Police School Resource Officer after they received a bomb threat that was telephoned to the school.  After the school was evacuated, canine resources from the US Park Police, WMATA Metro Transit Police, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency assisted Arlington County Police canine in conducting a thorough and systematic search of the school.

Students were able to be evacuated by school staff with the assistance of Arlington County Police Officers and they were sheltered in nearby Tuckahoe Elementary School, who was having a Parent-Teacher conference day.

There was no evidence of any explosives or hoax devices and the school was deemed clear a short time later.

It appears that this bomb threat may be related to similar threats in the region based on their nature and timing. We will work closely with the other affected jurisdictions to investigate these incidents.

Update at 2 p.m. — Students are now being allowed back into Bishop O’Connell.

Update at 1:10 p.m. — The evacuated students from the high school have been moved from the football field to Tuckahoe Elementary School, across the street. K-9 units from Metro Transit Police, U.S. Park Police and Pentagon police have arrived on scene to aid in a sweep of the school. 

Update at 1:05 p.m. — Tuckahoe parents were sent a text message saying the school was being secured in connection with the Bishop O’Connell incident and evacuation.

In addition to O’Connell and George Mason High, evacuations are also underway due to threats received at five other schools in Northern Virginia, NBC 4 reports: Herndon High School in Herndon, McLean High School in McLean, The Potomac School in McLean, Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn and Falls Church High School in Falls Church. (We’ve since updated this list as NBC 4 corrected its article.)

Earlier: Bishop O’Connell High School is being evacuated due to a bomb threat, ARLnow.com has learned.

Police and K-9 units are en route to the private Catholic school.

The evacuation was reported just minutes after another local high school — George Mason High School in Falls Church — was evacuated due to a bomb threat.

View More Stories