guns

Bills filed by Arlington’s state lawmakers range from banning noisy mufflers to increasing gun control

By Jo DeVoe
Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (via Wikimedia Commons)

America’s oldest continuous law-making body, the Virginia General Assembly, is now in session, and local lawmakers have introduced a slew of new legislation.

With split control of the General Assembly, Republicans of the House of Delegates and Democrats of the Senate, it’s unclear how many bills introduced by Arlington’s all-Democratic representation will pass.

Still, some priorities appear to have a measure of bipartisan support, including SB 1096 (from Sen. Adam Ebbin) permitting marriage between two people regardless of sex while protecting the right of religious clergy to decline presiding over same-sex marriages.

Here are some of the bills that were pre-filed ahead of this session.

Arlingtonians could get relief from noisy cars and predatory towing.

  • SB 1085 (Ebbin): Prohibits the sale and use of aftermarket mufflers. This follows up on a change in law last year reversing a 2021 law that prevented officers from pulling over drivers just for having an excessively loud exhaust system. The original law was intended to reduce pretextual traffic stops and racial disparities but might have contributed to an uptick in noise complaints those living along highways and busy roads.
  • HB 2062 (Del. Alfonso Lopez) and SB 790 (Sen. Barbara Favola): Reprises a failed 2022 bill that would make violations of existing towing law subject to the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. Under this act, predatory towing could receive heftier civil penalties than the $150 fine currently codified. Tackling predatory towing was a 2023 Arlington County Board legislative priority.

In addition to Ebbin’s same-sex marriage bill, a few others pertain to family life, health and privacy.

  • SB 1324 (Ebbin): Gives parents who make less than $100,000 a $500 child tax credit for 2023-2027.
  • SB 852 (Favola): Protects menstrual data stored on computers, computer networks or other devices — like phone period tracking applications — from being subject to search warrants. This likely responds to a Republican bill to outlaw abortion after 15 weeks except in the case of rape or incest or if the pregnancy endangers the life or “major bodily functions” of the mother.
  • HB 1879 (Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker): Requires each managed care health insurance plan licensee to provide a sufficient number and mix of services, specialists and practice sites to meet mental health care needs 24/7.

A number of gun control bills would curtail who can own a gun and who can assume possession of those owned by people who have committed a crime, while tackling the proliferation of “ghost guns.”

  • HB 1729 (Bennett-Parker) and SB 909 (Favola): Requires people to be at least 21 years old and to live under a different roof in order to accept guns from someone legally required to surrender them for being convicted of assaulting a family member or being under a protective order.
  • HB 1579 (Del. Rip Sullivan): Prevents people from buying or transporting firearms if they have two convictions in five years for operating a car or boat while drunk.
  • SB 1181 (Ebbin): Makes it a misdemeanor for anyone who is not a federal firearms importer, manufacturer or dealer to knowingly sell, offer to sell, transfer or purchase unfinished firearms that do not have serial numbers. These can be purchased online and used to build untraceable firearms, known as “ghost guns.”
  • SB 1192 (Ebbin): Prohibits certain semi-automatic guns — loaded or not — in any public right-of-way or publicly accessible natural area.

(more…)

Gun brandishing suspect allegedly tries to flee while still in handcuffs

By ARLnow.com
File photo

An 18-year-old Arlington man is facing multiple charges after a dispute led to an alleged gun brandishing and then a foot chase.

The incident started Wednesday afternoon in the Arlington Mill neighborhood, just north of Arlington’s western end of Columbia Pike. It ended with the suspect being detained near the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Walter Reed Drive — and then, according to scanner traffic at the time, leading police on a brief foot chase while in handcuffs.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BRANDISHING, 2023-01040171, S. Harrison Street at 8th Street S. At approximately 3:38 p.m. on January 4, police were dispatched to the report of an abduction. During the course of the investigation, officers made contact with the involved parties, who are known to each other, and determined no abduction had occurred. The investigation indicates the male suspect became involved in a verbal dispute with the male victim, during which he allegedly brandished a firearm before leaving the scene in a vehicle. Responding officers located the suspect in the 1000 block of S. Edgewood Street and detained him. While the investigation was ongoing, the suspect fled from officers on foot. Officers initiated a foot pursuit and took the suspect into custody. A firearm was recovered and a search of the victim’s vehicle yielded suspected narcotics. [The suspect], 18, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Brandishing, Possession of Schedule I/II, Possession of a Firearm while in Possession of Drugs and Obstruction of Justice. He was held without bond.

Also in the latest crime report, a resident of the Penrose neighborhood found a bullet that had somehow entered their home’s bedroom.

Police radio traffic at the time suggested that the resident found a bullet hole in their roof while taking down Christmas lights — perhaps after someone within a mile or so fired a gun into the air — but an ACPD spokeswoman was unable to confirm any details of the incident to ARLnow, beyond what was in the crime report.

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED DWELLING, 2023-01040139, 100 block of S. Cleveland Street. At approximately 12:38 p.m. on January 4, police were dispatched to the report of suspicious circumstances. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was in his home when he located damage to a bedroom. Responding officers recovered a bullet and located property damage to a ceiling within a bedroom. No injuries were reported. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

TSA kicks off 2023 by finding rifle, pistol in carry-on baggage at DCA

By ARLnow.com
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The new year is starting off with a proverbial bang for security at Reagan National Airport.

A Transportation Security Administration officer stopped an Alexandria man who tried to bring a loaded, semi-automatic folding rifle onto to a flight on New Year’s Day, the agency said. Then, three days later, the TSA allegedly confiscated a loaded, semi-automatic handgun from a Prince William County man’s carry-on baggage.

“It is only the fourth day of 2023 and already our officers have prevented two individuals from bringing loaded guns through the security checkpoint and onto their flights” John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director at National Airport, said in a statement. “Let’s hope that the frequency level of people bringing guns to our checkpoints does not continue this new year. Individuals who own firearms should familiarize themselves with regulations regarding where their weapons can and cannot be carried.”

Both men were cited on weapons charges. The citations are civil offenses that come with a fine, not jail time.

More on the rifle confiscated on Sunday, below, from a TSA press release.

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) prevented an Alexandria, Va., man from bringing his semi-automatic folding rifle onto his flight on Sunday, Jan. 1. The 9mm rifle was loaded with 20 bullets. There were a total of 56 bullets packed with his gun in three gun magazines.

The weapon was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on the man’s carry-on bag. TSA officials notified the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police who confiscated the gun and cited the man on a weapons charge. He told officials that he has two very similar looking backpacks–one for the firing range and one for travel–and that he accidentally brought the wrong one with him to the airport.

“This was no way to start the new year,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Immediately following a record-setting year for firearms at TSA checkpoints, we have this one. Gun enthusiasts with range bags similar to carry-ons need to be especially mindful. If you own a firearm, it is your responsibility to know where it is, and that it cannot go through an airport security checkpoint. In addition to the citation by airport police, this individual now faces a stiff financial civil penalty–a penalty for carrying a weapon that was recently increased to a maximum of $15,000.”

Firearms are not permitted through a security checkpoint because passengers should not have access to a firearm during a flight. This even applies to travelers with concealed carry permits or are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program. Individuals who bring their gun to a security checkpoint face a stiff federal financial civil penalty.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case, and packed separately from ammunition. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Gun store employee chases down thief in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
An Arlington police car in Clarendon (file photo)

A man tried to steal a gun from an Arlington gun store last week but was chased down by a store manager as he tried to flee.

The incident happened Thursday around 6:30 p.m. at Nova Armory, which is now located at 2607 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon.

“At approximately 6:37 p.m. on December 8, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown suspect concealed a firearm and exited the business without purchasing the item. An employee confronted the suspect outside the business and recovered the firearm. The suspect then pushed the employee and fled the scene on foot.”

Though the gun was recovered, the suspect remains at large.

“The suspect is described as a White, Hispanic male in his early 20’s, approximately 6’1″ tall wearing overalls, a black hat and brown shoes,” Savage said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Hat tip to Alan Henney

Busy Thanksgiving weekend for ACPD amid car thefts and gun crimes

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

(Updated on 11/30/22) The carjacking and pursuit we reported yesterday was far from the only car theft in Arlington over the long Thanksgiving holiday.

It was a busy few days for police, who handled a half dozen other vehicle thefts, as well as a pair of attempted carjackings in the Colonial Village area. One series of thefts claimed five vehicles in parts of residential North Arlington between Thanksgiving afternoon and the morning of Black Friday.

More from the latest ACPD crime report:

GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2022-11230126/2022-11230160, 2800 block of Washington Boulevard/N. Jackson Street at Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 2:55 p.m. on November 23, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted larceny from auto. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim witnessed the unknown male suspect rummaging through his vehicle. When the victim approached, the suspect began to flee the scene on foot. The victim followed the suspect during which the suspect brandished a knife and fled the area. At approximately 3:20 p.m., police were dispatched to an additional call in the 2800 block of Washington Boulevard for a suspect matching the description of the previous incident who had stolen a running, unoccupied vehicle. The vehicle was later located unoccupied in the 2200 block of 19th Court N. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 30 years old, 5’6-5’7, with long curly hair, wearing a black jacket, white t-shirt, dark colored pants and a dark colored baseball hat. The investigation is ongoing.

GRAND LARCENY AUTO/LARCENY FROM AUTO (Series), 2022-11250027/2022-11250029/2022-11250035/2022-11250043/2022-11260096, 5300 block of 27th Street N., 5000 block of 36th Street N., 2300 block of N. Nottingham Street, 6000 block of 27th Street N., 6000 block of 28th Street N. At approximately 7:54 a.m. on November 25, police were dispatched to the late report of a grand larceny auto. During the course of the investigation, it was determined between approximately 2:30 p.m. on November 24 and 7:45 a.m. on November 25, five vehicles were reported stolen from the area. The stolen vehicles are described as a 2017 Toyota Rav4, Gray, MA License Plate: 50DC38, 2020 Kia Telluride, Gray, VA License Plate: VXY4222, 2017 Honda Odyssey, Black, VA License Plate: 1265SC, 2021 Range Rover Sport, Blue, VA License Plate: UGF2051. Additionally, one vehicle in the area was rummaged through and cash and sunglasses were stolen. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

ATTEMPTED CARJACKING, 2022-11260179, 1700 block of N. Uhle Street. At approximately 6:37 p.m. on November 26, police were dispatched to the report of an attempted carjacking. Upon arrival, it was determined Victim One was inside her parked vehicle when the suspect approached, opened the door and ordered her to exit. Victim One exited the vehicle and the suspect entered but Victim One still had the keys. The suspect then fled the scene and approached Victim Two who had just parked in the 2100 block of Key Boulevard. The suspect grabbed the victim’s arm and demanded her keys. When she refused, he fled the scene on foot. No injuries were reported and no items were reported stolen. The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 5’6, 30 years old, skinny build, wearing a knit cap, black jacket and black/gray jeans. The investigation is ongoing.

Also in the crime report were some gun crimes, including an apparent road rage gun brandishing on I-395 and an armed robbery north of Columbia Pike.

(more…)

NEW: Police searching for man with gun who said he needed help but then drove off

By ARLnow.com
Police activity outside of the Arlington County courthouse and police headquarters in Courthouse (file photo)

Police are searching for an armed man who told law enforcement he needed help but then drove off.

The incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. in front of the Arlington County courthouse, near police headquarters, in the Courthouse neighborhood.

“A subject in a vehicle stopped in the crosswalk in the 1400 block of N. Courthouse Road and flagged down sheriff’s deputies for assistance,” Arlington police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “When they approached, they observed the subject to be in possession of a firearm.”

“The subject then drove away from the area and the deputies entered their vehicle and followed to investigate,” Savage continued. “The driver stopped at N. Veitch Street and 14th Street N. and the deputies again attempted to make contact with the subject who had stated he was in need of help.”

At that point, the man suddenly took off in the direction of Route 50.

“The subject then drove off, struck a parked vehicle in the 1200 block of N. Courthouse Road and fled the area,” Savage said. “Police remain on scene investigating the incident.”

The suspect’s vehicle was described as a silver Honda Civic, according to police radio traffic.

Update at 12:25 a.m. — The suspect in this incident has been arrested after he allegedly fired shots at Arlington County police and led them on a chase into Fairfax County.

Police: Woman threatened store employee in Courthouse with knife

By ARLnow.com
File photo

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) A pair of incidents involving local businesses and armed suspects were reported in today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report.

One happened on the 2000 block of Clarendon Blvd in Courthouse around 8:40 a.m. Wednesday morning.

“The female victim was standing outside a business when the suspect walked by and she greeted her,” according to police. “The suspect then allegedly made threatening statements, brandished a knife and held it towards the victim before fleeing the scene on foot.”

Initial reports suggest that the victim was an employee of the Ace hardware store on the block and that the suspect held the knife up to her throat. It’s not clear what, if anything, prompted the alleged attack.

“During the course of the investigation, officers identified the suspect, located her and took her into custody without incident at her residence,” said ACPD. “No injuries were reported.”

A 33-year-old Arlington woman was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery and Abduction, police said. She was held in jail without bond.

Early this morning, meanwhile, police responded to the 3300 block of Langston Blvd in the Cherrydale neighborhood for another report of an armed suspect at a local business.

“At approximately 4:38 a.m. on September 8, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery [that] just occurred,” said today’s crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the employee was inside the lobby of the business when the unknown suspect entered and approached the counter. The suspect then brandished a firearm and demanded money. The suspect stole an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene.”

The name of the business was not given by police.

“No injuries were reported,” the crime report said. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Police: Courthouse parking confrontation leads to gun brandishing

By ARLnow.com

A man upset after being confronted about parking illegally in the Courthouse area allegedly drew a weapon, police say.

The incident happened around 6 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) near the intersection of Clarendon Blvd and N. Troy Street, a couple of blocks downhill from the Courthouse Metro station.

“At approximately 6:11 p.m. on August 24, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The investigation determined the suspect was illegally parked when the victim approached on foot and confronted him. The suspect then exited his vehicle and allegedly retrieved a weapon, which was later determined to be an airsoft gun, from the trunk. The victim safely left the area and no injuries were reported.”

“Upon arrival, officers located the suspect and took him into custody without incident,” the crime report says.

Despite the gun ultimately being found to be a pellet gun, according to police, the suspect — a 28-year-old Fairfax man — was charged with brandishing. He was also charged with DUI and driving with a suspended license, and held without bond, per the crime report.

Attempted carjacking reported near Crystal City Metro station

By ARLnow.com

A driver was nearly carjacked in a parking garage about a block from the Crystal City Metro station.

The incident happened around 10:20 p.m. last night (Wednesday) on the 200 block of 18th Street S.

“A patrol officer was flagged down by the victim who reported an attempted carjacking,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was in his parked vehicle when the suspect approached his passenger side door. The suspect demanded the victim unlock the car door and had what appeared to be a possible firearm in his pocket.”

Despite the would-be carjacker potentially having a gun, the driver drove off it — and was able to successfully flee. He then saw two additional suspects.

“The victim drove away at which time he observed two other possible suspects flee the scene on foot with the first suspect,” said ACPD.

No one was hurt. Police say they are still investigating.

The last reported carjacking in Arlington happened last month along S. Fern Street, also in the Crystal City area.

UPDATED: Search for man with weapon closes roads in Lyon Park

By ARLnow.com
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Update at 2:25 p.m. on 8/19/22 — Arlington police have released additional information about this incident in Friday’s daily crime report. A 34-year-old man was arrested and a knife — not a gun — recovered from the scene, ACPD said.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY (Significant), 2022-08180122, 2400 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 1:22 p.m. on August 18th, a plain clothes officer was in the area when he observed the male suspect allegedly brandish a weapon during a dispute with another individual. Additional officers responded to the area and located the suspect who refused to comply with the offices’ commands and fled the scene on foot. Officers canvassed the area, located the suspect in the unit block of N. Bedford Street and took him into custody without incident. During the course of the investigation, a knife was recovered. No injuries were reported. Saul Leal, 34, of Arlington, VA was arrested and charged with Assault and Battery. He was held on a $1,000 bond.

Earlier: Police have a suspect in custody after a man allegedly seen with a gun ran from officers in the Lyon Park area.

Officers and at least one K-9 unit on the ground, as well as the U.S. Park Police helicopter in the air, were looking for the man, who reportedly brandished a weapon at an officer along the 2400 block of Washington Blvd, near the Route 50 ramps, and then ran off.

After a search of the area, a suspect was taken into custody without incident, according to scanner traffic.

Residents should expect to see continued police activity in the area, though the response is now being scaled down. Nearby Long Branch Elementary School was placed in “secure the school mode” during the search, according to scanner traffic. Some roads were also blocked during the search.

ACPD investigating pair of retail robberies and a car wash gun brandishing

By ARLnow.com
File photo

A man allegedly got mad and drew a gun when an employee at a local car wash asked him to move his vehicle.

The incident happened around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Mr. Wash car wash on the 100 N. Glebe Road, according to scanner traffic. No one was hurt.

Police say they have since identified the suspect.

From today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report:

BRANDISHING, 2022-08160067, 100 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 10:16 a.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined an employee of the business approached the suspect and requested he move his parked vehicle which was blocking other customers. A verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. No injuries were reported. During the course of the investigation, officers identified the suspect and obtained a warrant for Brandishing a Firearm within 1,000 feet of a School. The investigation is ongoing.

Also Tuesday morning, a man allegedly robbed a 7-Eleven store in Virginia Square, assaulted an employee, and then went back into the store to steal more items.

ROBBERY, 2022-08160042, 3500 block of Fairfax Drive. At approximately 8:42 a.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the report of a dispute in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined the unknown male suspect entered into the business, took several items off of the shelves and attempted to leave without paying. An employee confronted him, during which a verbal dispute ensued. Another employee attempted to intervene and the suspect struck him before leaving the business. The suspect quickly reentered the business, stole additional merchandise and fled the scene on foot. A lookout for the suspect was broadcast and officers canvassed the area yielding negative results. No injuries were reported.

That afternoon, another retail robbery led police on an ultimately futile search for the suspect, who is believed to have fled via Metro.

The robbery happened at the Costco store in Pentagon City.

“At approximately 12:54 p.m. on August 16, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery,” ACPD said. “The investigation determined the unknown male suspect was allegedly attempting to leave a business with unpaid merchandise when he was confronted by loss prevention.”

“A verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect implied he had a knife before fleeing the scene with the stolen items,” the crime report continues. “The employees followed the suspect out of the business as he continued to verbally threaten them.”

The suspect was seen fleeing into the Pentagon City Metro station, but officers arrived at the platform just as a Blue Line train was departing, according to scanner traffic. That led to unsuccessful efforts to get Metro to stop the train at the Pentagon, at the Arlington Cemetery station, and finally in Rosslyn, per police radio traffic.

“A lookout for the suspect was broadcast and officers canvassed the surrounding area with negative results,” said the crime report.

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