guns

Man Arrested For Firing Air Gun at Bird in Va. Square

By ARLnow.com

A man is facing charges after police say he fired an air gun at a bird yesterday morning in the Virginia Square area.

Police responded to the area of Wilson Blvd and N. Kenmore Street just before 8 a.m. Tuesday for reports of a man with a gun. Officers arrived and were told by a witness that the man fired an air gun “in the direction of a bird,” according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

The suspect, 69-year-old Ytiyti Ytity, was allegedly in possession of three air guns, which were taken by police. He was released on a court summons.

Ytity is no stranger to local police blotters, with arrest records stretching from California to Florida.

More from ACPD:

WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2021-06220034, Wilson Boulevard at N. Kenmore Street. At approximately 7:52 a.m. on June 22, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, it was determined that the witness observed the suspect allegedly pull an air gun out of his backpack and discharge it in the direction of a bird. Arriving officers located the suspect, he was positively identified and three air guns were recovered. Ytiyti Ytity, 69, of No Fixed Address, was charged with Discharging an Air Gun in Public and released on a summons.

Police: Man Facing Gun Charges After Wakefield HS Incident

By ARLnow.com

A 40-year-old man has been arrested in connection to an incident in which a Wakefield High School student allegedly made threats of violence.

As first reported by ARLnow, Wakefield was placed in “secure the school mode” late Tuesday morning after a student — who was reportedly wearing a bulletproof vest — made threats during an altercation that happened off school property, according to Arlington County police. Officers swarmed the area around the school, located the student and detained him.

This morning ACPD announced charges against a man they say was driving the car the student was riding in just before he was detained. Michael Davis, 40, is facing weapons charges after a gun was found in the car, police say.

Davis, an Arlington resident, previously pleaded guilty to drug and other charges nearly two decades ago. He is also facing trial this summer on drug and weapons charges after being arrested last year, according to court records. He’s due in court on the new charges on July 1.

More from an ACPD press release, below.

An Arlington man is facing charges of weapons violations following an investigation into reported threats near Wakefield High School. Michael Davis, 40, is charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

Just prior to 11:45 a.m. on May 11, the School Resource Officer (SRO) Supervisor received a call from a staff member at Wakefield High School regarding a student who had been involved in a physical altercation off school property with several other individuals. The student was allegedly wearing what was described as a bulletproof vest and, upon leaving the scene, made a statement to bystanders implying threats of violence.

The student [returned] to the area and was reportedly observed traveling in a vehicle near the school. The SRO Supervisor coordinated a police response and officers located the student outside of the parked vehicle in the area of S. Frederick Street and S. George Mason Drive. The student and the two occupants of the vehicle were detained without incident. In plain view inside the vehicle, officers observed a ballistic vest carrier. During a search of the vehicle, a firearm was recovered from under the driver’s seat. The driver was arrested and charged.

For the safety of students and staff, Wakefield High School was placed on “secure the building status” while police investigated the circumstances of this incident.

This remains an active investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Lt. E. Pilco of the School Resource Officers Unit at [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Credit Card Theft Victim Arrested After Armed Confrontation

By ARLnow.com

A man who had his wallet stolen is facing charges after allegedly trying to confront someone he mistakenly thought was the thief.

The incident happened Sunday afternoon on the 1400 block of 28th Street S., near Gunston Middle School in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood.

“The suspect’s wallet and credit card had been stolen the day prior and he had noticed suspicious charges on his credit card,” Arlington County police said in a crime report. “The suspect went to a restaurant where his card had been used and followed a delivery driver to the home to confront the individual who had placed the order.”

“When the victim opened the door, the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm,” said ACPD. “The victim was able to close and lock the door. The investigation determined the victim did not use the suspect’s stolen credit card to place the order.”

A 27-year-old man from Stafford, Virginia was arrested and charged with brandishing a gun within 1000 feet of a school.

“The investigation into the fraud is ongoing,” police noted.

Monday’s crime report included another weekend brandishing, this time along Route 1 in the Crystal City area.

Just before 5 p.m. on Saturday a man in the drive-through line at McDonald’s allegedly became irate at the driver in front of him.

“The female victim was waiting in a drive-thru line when the suspect, who was behind her, began to honk his vehicle’s horn,” said ACPD. “He then approached her on the passenger side and brandished a firearm. The suspect then proceeded to exit the parking lot onto Richmond Highway.”

No injuries were reported. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

File photo

Police: Erratic, Armed Driver Arrested

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:05 a.m.) Arlington County police were able to defuse a tense situation in which a driver pulled over for a traffic stop allegedly had a gun pointed at officers.

The incident happened Friday afternoon along Washington Blvd at I-395.

“At approximately 3:11 p.m. on April 30, officers conducted a traffic stop after observing the driver operating erratically, shifting lanes and [braking] repeatedly before stopping abruptly on the shoulder of the roadway,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer observed a firearm on the driver’s lap which was halfway out of the holster and facing towards him.”

“The officer gave the driver commands and took possession of the firearm,” the crime report continues. “The driver had a suspended license and the vehicle was displaying improper tags.”

The crime report does not indicate whether the gun was intentionally pointed at police.

A 26-year-old Alexandria man was arrested and charged with Brandishing a Firearm and Assault on Law Enforcement Officer, according to ACPD. Traffic tickets were also issued for Suspended License, Improper Registration, Failure to Maintain Lane, Following too Closely and Failure to Wear Seatbelt, police said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Feds: Comfort Inn Hosted Gun Cache — “Members of the Oath Keepers paramilitary group likely stored weapons at a hotel in Arlington, Virginia, as part of their plan to have an armed rapid-response force during the January 6 insurrection, federal prosecutors said. The new details flesh out previous accusations from prosecutors that members of the Oath Keepers assembled a ‘quick reaction force,’ or QRF, in Virginia that could deploy into the nation’s capital if needed.” [CNN, Politico]

Nature Centers Reopen — “Another sign things are returning to a semblance of normalcy, albeit slowly (this is Arlington, after all): The Gulf Branch and Long Branch nature centers, operated by the county government, have reopened. Hours and exhibitions are limited, but this marks the first time in nearly 13 months that Arlington residents have had consistent access to the nature centers.” [Sun Gazette]

Shirlington’s Past and Present — “This pet-friendly community five miles southwest of the District and adjacent to Highway 395 started off as a 27-acre former shopping center. Shirlington was one of the first strip malls in the country when it opened in 1944. For a while, it had the largest shopping center in the area and originally was named Chernerville, after automobile dealer Joseph Cherner, but the name didn’t stick. Instead, it was renamed Shirlington, a blending of Shirley Highway (395) and Arlington.” [Washington Post]

Amazon Not Abandoning Office Work — “As vaccines become more available, most companies may start to expect their workers back in the office and allow for just one or two days of teleworking a week — and Amazon is likely to be among them… That’s good news for many of the businesses and jurisdictions expected to benefit from the 25,000 to 37,850 employees Amazon has said it will bring to the D.C. region as it continues to build out its HQ2 campus in Arlington.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Company Donates to African School — “Washington Workplace, an award-winning commercial office furniture dealer in Arlington, teamed up with Business Furniture Installations and a nonprofit alumni association to donate unused office furniture to Pioneer Middle School in Senegal, in West Africa.” [Press Release]

Letter Writer: Don’t Hate on the Cicadas — “The message of the havoc wreaked on young trees and shrubs, and the month of constant shrill buzzing has sent home an idea of impending doom… Although the ominous message of cicada arrival is likely still in your head – and I can’t argue that cicadas aren’t a nuisance – I ask you to remember that they do have a role in our ecosystem and a purpose on our planet.” [Sun Gazette]

Police Looking for Man Seen with Gun Near Childcare Center

By ARLnow.com

Police responded to an Arlington church last week after a man was seen open carrying a pistol on its grounds.

The incident happened on the afternoon of Thursday, April 8. A childcare center operates out of the church, on the 600 block of N. Vermont Street near Ballston.

“At approximately 2:32 p.m. on April 8, police were dispatched to the report of a subject openly displaying a holstered handgun while walking on a property containing an occupied child care facility,” said an Arlington County Police Department crime report. “The subject left the scene prior to the arrival of police and was not located in the area by responding officers.”

“The subject is described as a white male in his 50’s, 5’8″, medium build, white hair beneath a dark ball cap, long sleeve button-down shirt and tan pants,” the crime report continues. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Initially, officers told dispatch that the man might have been legally open carrying the gun. However, the crime report indicates that the incident is now believed to have been a weapons violation. It is illegal to open carry on the grounds of a childcare center or preschool during operating hours in Virginia.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pandemic Doesn’t Change Amazon’s Plans — “Schoettler, who oversees Amazon’s global portfolio of office space, said the past year hasn’t changed the way the company thinks about its office strategy… Amazon still views the office as the best place for work because of the ability for employees to collaborate, and it still envisions its footprint centered around large corporate campuses like its Seattle headquarters and its HQ2 development in Northern Virginia. ” [Bisnow, Twitter]

Sheriff’s Deputy Charged with Fraud — “India Middleton, a deputy sheriff with the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office, was indicted in Georgia by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Middleton was one of 10 defendants indicted in a multi-state scheme to submit fraudulent loan applications for non-[existent] businesses as part of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), according to a U.S. Department of Justice release.” [Patch, Arlington County]

New Irish Pub Opening Soon — From the social media account of Mattie & Eddie’s, Chef Cathal Armstrong’s new Irish restaurant and bar in Pentagon City: “Practice test! All your grand Irish pints coming soon!” [Facebook]

APS May Cut Magnet High School from Budget — “As part of his proposed budget for the 2022 Arlington Public Schools (APS) fiscal year, Superintendent Francisco Dúran has suggested cutting funding for Arlington students to attend [Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology]. Should the proposed cut pass, current Arlington students at Jefferson will be allowed to remain, but all future classes — including this year’s rising 9th graders — will be barred from attending the school.” [TJ Today]

Lopez’s Gun Loophole Bill Signed — “Introduced by House Majority Whip Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), HB 2128 was one of the first pieces of legislation signed into law by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam before the end of the session. The bill expands the amount of time state police and agencies have to conduct a background check on a ‘default proceed’ gun sale, from 3 days to 5 days.” [Press Release]

View of Old Coal Trestle from New Bridge — “A new view of the 1926 W&OD Railroad coal trestle remnants next to the new Lee Hwy bridge.” [Twitter]

ACPD: Man Leads Officers on Foot Chase After Bullet Hole Discovered in Neighbor’s Apartment

By ARLnow.com

A man allegedly led police on a foot chase in the Westover area after his neighbor found a bullet hole in his apartment.

The bullet hole was reported to police Friday morning, in an apartment building on the 5700 block of Washington Blvd, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report.

Investigating officers determined that an argument was overheard in the apartment next to that of the victim one week prior. While trying to get in touch with the residents of the adjacent apartment a man exited the building and tried to flee, according to ACPD, but he was detained and a gun recovered.

More from the crime report:

MISSILE INTO OCCUPIED DWELLING (late), 2021-02260074, 5700 block of Washington Boulevard. At approximately 11:15 a.m. on February 26, police were dispatched to the report of suspicious circumstances. Upon arrival, it was determined that on February 20, the victim located a bullet hole inside his residence and later found a bullet fragment. Further investigation revealed an argument was overheard in the adjoining apartment the evening prior to the bullet hole being discovered. As officers were attempting to make telephone contact with those residents, the male subject emerged from the building and fled the scene. Following a foot pursuit, he was detained by officers. A firearm was later recovered. The investigation is ongoing.

Separately, police are looking for a man who lit blankets atop a sleeping victim on fire, according to Monday’s crime report.

The victim was sleeping under an overpass in Arlington when the alleged incident occurred, on Friday, Feb. 19. It was only reported to police this past Thursday morning, when medics were called to treat the victim’s burns. He was taken to a local burn center by ambulance, according to scanner traffic.

The crime report suggests that the victim knows the suspect.

“At approximately 11:45 a.m. on February 25, police were dispatched to an EMS assist” on the 2900 block of S. Glebe Road, the crime report says. “Upon arrival, it was determined that on February 19, the victim was asleep underneath the overpass when he was approached by a known suspect who wrapped his legs in blankets and set them on fire.”

“The victim and a witness were able to extinguish the fire and the suspect left the scene,” the crime report continues. “Upon receiving the request for service on February 25, the victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.”

No arrests have been reported so far, and police say the investigation into the incident “is ongoing.”

File photo

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Man Dies in Texas Crash — “Early Sunday morning, police responded to a three-vehicle crash which resulted in a man’s death and an arrest of a 42-year-old woman… The driver involved in the head-on collision with Sanchez, identified as 33-year-old Eyob Demoze of Arlington, Virginia, died at the hospital.” [Fox 29]

TSA Catches Loaded Gun at DCA — “Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers caught an Arlington County, Virginia, man with a 9mm handgun loaded with seven bullets including one in the chamber at a Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport security checkpoint early this morning, Monday, Feb. 8.” [Press Release]

Historic Marker to Mark Fmr. Trolly Stop — “The Arlington Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board has approved placement of a marker to denote the one-time ‘Livingstone Station’ on the Washington & Old Dominion Railway. The marker will be placed at Old Dominion Drive and 24th Street North, which was believed to be the location of the station. 24th Street originally was known as Livingston Ave.” [InsideNova]

Marymount Students Top Nat’l Contest — “Two Marymount University students achieved national recognition for video stories they created to illustrate how the resurgent civil rights activism of 2020 and the ongoing movement for racial equality has personally impacted them.” [Marymount University]

Syphax Descendant Holds History Talks — “His pandemic-era Zoom talks have included exploration of family patriarch William Syphax (circa 1773-1850), who bought his freedom in 1817 and set up a business next to the historic Carlyle House in Alexandria. This Syphax worked with a neighbor, Quaker pharmacist and abolitionist Edward Stabler, to save money to free the rest of his family.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Commuting Hazard This Morning? — From the Capital Weather Gang last night: “We can’t rule out some very light, spotty mixed precip before/around sunrise Tues. Slight chance of slick roads mainly N & W of Beltway.” [Twitter]

Gun-Toting Teen Arrested at Pentagon City Mall

By ARLnow.com

A teenager with a concealed handgun was taken into custody at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall yesterday afternoon.

The arrest does not appear to have a direct connection to the inauguration, though it took place on Inauguration Day as police were on high alert for possible security threats.

An officer in an unmarked cruiser spotted the teen tucking a gun into his waistband as he entered the mall with four other juvenile suspects, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report and scanner traffic. The officer then called for backup, and police were able to arrest the teen in the vicinity of the food court.

More from the ACPD crime report:

WEAPONS VIOLATION, 2021-01200100, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 2:00 p.m. on January 20, an officer observed five juvenile subjects pass their cruiser and then stop a short distance away, at which point they observed one of the subjects readjusting a firearm in their waistband and then conceal it under clothing. The subjects entered a business and dispersed, however police subsequently located the subject with the firearm a few minutes later and made contact with him. They confirmed their status as a juvenile and located the firearm on their person. Petitions for Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Possession of a Handgun or Assault Firearm by a Juvenile were sought for the juvenile suspect.

Also in today’s crime report, two cars were stolen in the Country Club Hills neighborhood of north Arlington early Wednesday morning. Both cars were reported left outside unlocked, with keys inside.

More from ACPD:

GRAND LARCENY (series), 2021-0120038/01200054, 4400 block of 33rd Street N./4200 block of 32nd Road N. At approximately 8:04 a.m. on January 20, police were dispatched to the 4400 block of 33rd Street N. for report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 4:59 a.m., the suspect exited a white SUV driven by a second suspect, then gained entry to the victim’s unlocked vehicle and tampered with items. The suspect then entered a second vehicle, which was unlocked with the key inside, and stole it. The vehicle is described as a red 2018 Volkswagen GTI with Virginia license plates. A second vehicle [on] the 4200 block of 32nd Road N., which was unlocked with the keys inside… was also reported stolen overnight. The vehicle is described as a black 2013 BMW M5 with Virginia license plates F10MM5. There are no suspect descriptions. The investigation is ongoing.

Good Guy With Gun Robbed of Gun By Bad Guy With Gun

By ARLnow.com

A man was robbed of his gun by an armed, masked man over the weekend in the Green Valley neighborhood, according to Arlington County police.

The alleged incident happened around 8:30 a.m. Saturday on the 2400 block of S. Lowell Street.

“The victim was waiting outside for a ride to a shooting range when he was approached from behind by the unknown suspect,” said today’s ACPD crime report. “The suspect then grabbed a case containing a firearm from the victim. When the victim turned around, he observed the suspect pointing a firearm at him. The suspect then fled on foot.”

“The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 6’1″-6’2″, wearing blue jeans, a black hooded jacket, black ski mask, and black and red shoes,” the crime report continues. “The investigation is ongoing.”

The robbery was not reported to police until Monday afternoon, the crime report noted.

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