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DEVELOPING: Thousands Without Power As High Winds Sweep Through Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Power outages in Arlington 2/12/17

Update at 8 a.m. — Thousands of Arlington residents are waking up to no electricity this morning. The number of outages in Arlington is only down to around 4,900. Marymount University is still without power and portions of the Rosslyn/Courthouse area, including traffic signals at some busy intersection, are dark.

Rosslyn power outages Monday morning(Updated at 12:15 a.m.) More than 6,500 Dominion customers are without power in Arlington tonight after a squall line packing 60+ mile per hour wind gusts swept through the region.

Numerous trees, power lines and utility poles are said to be down across parts of Arlington, primarily in north Arlington. Several transformer fires have also been reported.

In some cases, trees are leaning against live lines and catching on fire. In other cases, power lines and poles are down across roadways, blocking lanes. Glebe Road, Military Road and Williamsburg Blvd are among the roads reported to blocked.

On Williamsburg Blvd, a fire department vehicle was damaged, possibly by falling branches or debris.

A large portion of Arlington north of Lee Highway — from Cherrydale up to McLean, including the Marymount University campus — is in the dark, according to a Dominion outage map.

There are also portions of Shirlington, Fairlington and other areas of south Arlington without power, according to the map.

In all, more than 34,000 Dominion customers throughout Northern Virginia are without power, including more than 7,000 in Alexandria. High winds are expected to continue throughout the day on Monday.

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DEVELOPING: ‘Suspicious Death’ Investigation in Arlington Mill

By ARLnow.com
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Update at 11:40 a.m. — Police say the man’s death was a homicide. A suspect has been arrested and charged with first degree murder.

Earlier: Arlington County Police are investigating what they’re calling a “suspicious death” in an apartment building in the Arlington Mill neighborhood.

The body of a 55-year-old man was found in an apartment in one of the garden apartment buildings on 7th Road S. Two people have been detained by police for questioning, according to ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Police are not yet confirming whether this is Arlington County’s first homicide of 2017. That determination will be made by a medical examiner, Savage said.

The apartments are located across from Tyrol Hill Park. School children were playing in the park while police were conducting their investigation Monday afternoon.

Police Investigating Body Found Near Windy Run Park

By ARLnow.com

Map of Windy Run Park (via Google Maps)

(Updated at 12:40 p.m.) Police are investigating a dead body found between Windy Run Park, in north Arlington, and the banks of the Potomac River.

U.S. Park Police, as well as Arlington County police and firefighters, hiked to the scene after someone alerted authorities to a body spotted in the rocky, wooded area along the river and the GW Parkway.

The body is that of a man, according to Park Police spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Rose, contradicting initial reports that the deceased was female. Rose did not have any additional information.

Photo via Google Maps

UPDATED: Man Jumps Off Apartment Balcony in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA man has jumped off an apartment balcony in Pentagon City in an apparent suicide attempt.

It happened on the 400 block of 12th Street S., between Army Navy Drive and S. Eads Street. That’s the same stretch of road that was shut down yesterday due to a man with mental health issues who reportedly injured himself and was being uncooperative with police.

That same man is believed to be the person who jumped today, according to scanner traffic.

There were several witnesses to the incident, who are being interviewed by police. Officers are again shutting down 12th Street S. between Army Navy and Eads while they take photos and investigate.

The man is being transported to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital. The severity of his injuries are unclear at this time.

Update at 3:15 p.m. — The road is reopening, according to scanner traffic. The fire department is being called to the scene for a “washdown” of the area of impact.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, help is a phone call away. Call CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

UPDATED: Missing Boy Found, Police Say

By ARLnow.com

Eli Check (photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department)Update at 1:20 p.m. — The missing boy was found around 1 p.m., according to police. He was located on the roof of Williamsburg Middle School.

Earlier: Arlington County Police are calling in resources from Virginia State Police to help search for a missing 12-year-old boy.

Police say Eli Check, 12, was last seen early this morning at his home on the 3400 block of N. Emerson Street, near Williamsburg Middle School in the Rock Spring neighborhood.

Check, who is transgender and identifies as male, was last seen dying his hair black, according to police.

“We’re worried about his safety,” said ACPD spokesman Capt. Bruce Benson.

At least one K-9 unit is involved in the search of the neighborhood around the boy’s home, Benson confirmed. Police are also asking for the public’s help.

From a press release issued shortly after noon today:

The Arlington County Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 12 year old boy. Eli Check of Arlington, was last seen at his home in the 3400 block of N. Emerson St. at 2 a.m. on Monday, October 24, 2016.

Eli was last seen in his home dying his hair black. He is white, weighing 85 lbs. and is 5’0″ tall.  He may be wearing light colored blue jeans with multiple, multi colored patches on the legs.

Eli is transgender, female to male, and it is possible he may present as a female. Eli’s legal name is Eliana Check.

Anyone who has information about Eli is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department immediately at 703-558-2222.

DEVELOPING: Suspect in Clown Mask Chases Kids in Madison Manor Park

By ARLnow.com

"Creepy clown" Instagram accountArlington County Police are searching for a masked suspect who chased children around Madison Manor Park, near the W&OD trail, this morning.

The incident was reported just after 11 a.m. It comes amid “creepy clown” threats against schools and sightings of threatening figures in clown masks.

The suspect in this morning’s incident was wearing a gray sweatshirt and a clown “skull” mask, according to a police lookout. It was initially reported that the suspect was wielding an axe; later it was reported that it was actually a skateboard.

Multiple kids reported seeing the “clown.” Police are now searching for the suspect around the park and up and down the trail.

Most elementary and middle school students in Arlington do not have school today due to parent-teacher conferences.

Update at 11:40 a.m. — Another witness told officers that the suspect was a teenager with red hair, whom she saw take off the mask and run off with two other teen boys, according to police radio traffic.

File photo

UPDATED: Firefighters Investigating Smoke in Ballston Macy’s

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County fire truckUpdate at 4:50 p.m. — One lane of northbound Glebe Road has been reopened, but major backups on Glebe are being reported.

Update at 4:30 p.m. — Firefighters say they’ve located the likely source of the smoke, in a mechanical room. No fire was found. Units are starting to clear from the scene.

Arlington County firefighters have shut down Glebe Road at Wilson Blvd as they investigate why the second floor of the Ballston Common Mall Macy’s store has filled with smoke.

Numerous fire department units are responding to the scene, but so far the source of the smoke has not been found. No flames have been seen and firefighters are checking the building’s HVAC system.

Drivers should expect traffic impacts in the area.

Police Investigating Stabbing at Green Valley Pharmacy

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsArlington County Police are on scene of a reported stabbing at the Green Valley Pharmacy (2415 S. Shirlington Road) in Nauck.

Units on scene at the long-time local business report that there’s a significant amount of blood on the floor of the pharmacy. Initial reports suggest that a woman, who’s currently talking to police at the pharmacy, stabbed an intoxicated man out of self-defense.

Police are searching for the stabbing victim, who fled the scene after the incident, possibly on a stolen moped.

Update at 5:25 p.m. — Police have located the man who was stabbed, and the moped, near the Arlington Career Center on Columbia Pike, according to scanner traffic. The man has an injury to his hand.

Update at 9:45 a.m. — ACPD has released the following crime report about this incident.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO (significant), 160804038, 2400 block of S. Shirlington Road. At approximately 4:30 p.m. on August 4, police were dispatched to the report of a fight. The investigation revealed that the victim and suspect got into an argument that escalated into a physical fight. During the fight, the male suspect took off his belt and began hitting the female victim with it. The victim broke a beer bottle and slashed the victim’s hand. The suspect then stole the victim’s moped that was parked and fled. The suspect struck a vehicle during his escape, and continued to flee on foot. The suspect was later apprehended in the area and taken into custody. Gregory Donnell Graham, 46, of Arlington VA, was arrested and charged with assault and battery, grand larceny (Auto), and hit and run.

DEVELOPING: Child Found Dead in Back of Car in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

ACFD Arlington County ambulance (file photo)Update at 6:05 p.m. — Charges have now been filed in the case.

Fairfax County Police are investigating the death of a two-year-old girl who was found in the back of a car in Pentagon City.

Medics were called to the front of the Pentagon City mall, on the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street, around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a child who was unresponsive in the back of a car and was being administered CPR. The girl was later pronounced dead.

An investigation determined that the girl had likely died in Annandale after being left in the back of the car all day by a caretaker.

From the Fairfax County Police Department:

Our initial investigation has determined that a male acquaintance of the child’s mother was supposed to drop three children off at two locations on the morning of April 20. It appears he dropped off two older children, ages 10 and 15, and then returned to the home in Fairfax County, not realizing that the two-year-old remained on the back seat of the car. Sometime later, the acquaintance got back in the car to pick up the children’s mother. When he arrived at her location in Arlington County, he looked in the back seat area of the car and saw the child. When he discovered that she was unresponsive, he immediately called 911.

So far, no charges have been filed in the case. The two older children are staying with a relative pending the results of the investigation.

“As detectives continue their investigation, they will consult with the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County for a determination of criminal liability,” said police.

Police Investigating Stabbing in Nauck

By ARLnow.com

Stabbing in Nauck 4/19/16 (photo courtesy @toddmpost)

Arlington County Police are on scene of a stabbing in the Nauck neighborhood.

The incident happened just before 2 p.m. on the 2200 block of 24th Street S. Initial reports suggest a man was stabbed and the suspect was then chased down the street by two men.

The victim, however, is being uncooperative and no suspects are in police custody, according to scanner traffic.

The victim’s injuries are said to be non-life-threatening. He is being transported via ambulance to the trauma center at George Washington University Hospital.

Photo courtesy @toddmpost

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