Vehicle window shot out last week (photo courtesy anonymous)
Someone shot out or smashed the windows on two dozen vehicles parked in Arlington during one night last week.
The vandalism spree happened overnight between the evening of Thursday, Oct. 20 and the morning of Friday, Oct. 21.
“An unknown suspect(s) smashed the windows of approximately 24 victim vehicles with an unknown object,” ACPD spokesperson Alli Shorb told ARLnow. “The victim vehicles varied in make and model. There is no suspect description(s) at this time. The investigation is ongoing.”
The locations of damaged vehicles included neighborhoods in and around Crystal City, Rosslyn, Courthouse, Ballston, Waverly Hills and Dominion Hills.
Location of damaged vehicles (courtesy ACPD)
One of the victims, whose vehicle was parked in the North Highland neighborhood near Rosslyn when it was damaged, believes that the vandal or vandals were using BB guns or something similar.
“I believe it was a BB gun or air rifle. I can’t find a round or BB in my car to be sure, however,” he told ARLnow. “My car and another from my block in North Highland are pictured.”
Update on 10/26/22 — Another vehicle vandalism spree has been reported, potentially involving the same suspect or suspects.
Update on 10/27/22 — Yet another vehicle vandalism spree by a BB gun-armed suspect (or suspects) has been reported.
Update on 10/28/22 — A suspect has been arrested, Arlington County police announced.
Vehicle window shot out last week (photo courtesy anonymous)
Updated at 2:45 p.m. — At least one lane has reopened as crews work to finish clearing the crash scene.
Earlier: All lanes of westbound I-66 are currently blocked at the Rosslyn tunnel due to a crash.
An SUV crashed and overturned near the entrance to the tunnel around 1:30 p.m. Police are on scene and report that the driver was able to get out of the vehicle prior to their arrival.
The crash happened near the beginning of what had been a backup between Rosslyn and the N. Glebe Road exit of I-66.
No serious injuries have been reported. Westbound I-66 traffic is being diverted to Rosslyn and drivers in the area should expect heavy traffic.
LOCATION: WB I-66 / Rosslyn Tunnel INCIDENT: Traffic Collision IMPACT: All lanes of the Rosslyn Tunnel are blocked. Please follow Police direction. pic.twitter.com/nHbQFuIf9L
A pizza delivery driver was carjacked in the Arlington Mill neighborhood last night.
The incident happened Wednesday night on S. Dickerson Street, a couple of blocks north of the Arlington Mill Community Center and Columbia Pike.
A pair of suspects, at least one of whom was armed with a gun, threatened the delivery driver and stole his 2005 Toyota Prius, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. The driver was not hurt.
More from ACPD:
CARJACKING (Late), 2022-10190259, 800 block of S. Dickerson Street. At approximately 11:20 p.m. on October 19, police were dispatched to the late report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was delivering pizza when he was approached by two unknown male suspects. The suspects allegedly threatened the victim with a firearm and demanded his personal belongings and the keys to his vehicle. The suspects then stole the victim’s belongings and fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. No injuries were reported. Suspect One is described as a Black male, approximately 5’10”, wearing a ski mask and dark clothing. Suspect Two is described as a Black male with a husky build, approximately 5’6″, wearing a ski mask. The vehicle is described as a 2005 White Toyota Prius with Virginia tags TZE7770. The investigation is ongoing.
The last reported carjacking in Arlington happened in July in the Crystal City area, though a few attempted carjackings have been reported since then.
Vision Zero team representatives during the Arlington County Board meeting on Oct. 18, 2022 (via Arlington County)
Arlington County Board members have indicated their impatience for traffic changes at an intersection where a woman was fatally struck by a driver two weeks ago.
During a meeting yesterday (Tuesday), Board members received a briefing from team members from Vision Zero — the county’s initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries — about all the work they do after a critical crash.
But Board members were less interested in the process and dwelled more on getting answers to questions like “How long will this take?” and “What can we do now?” Part of that motivation, according to Board Chair Katie Cristol, was that the death of 85-year-old Gwendolyn Hayes felt preventable.
“Any fatal crash is unacceptable to our community, as I know you feel deeply, as do we. And what feels so difficult about Ms. Hayes’ death is the sense that this is one that should have been prevented, especially because of those who had been killed at the same location before her,” she said.
Scene of fatal pedestrian crash along Little Falls Road in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
This was the second pedestrian death and the third notable crash in recent months, and the rash has prompted residents to demand more action. Viviana Oxlaj Pérez died in early August after being struck by an alleged drunk driver on 2nd Street S. and Old Glebe Road. A man charged with involuntary manslaughter related to her death has hearings set for February 2023, according to court records.
Shortly after, a child on a bicycle who allegedly pedaled into oncoming traffic was struck at the intersection of 3rd Street S. and S. Carlin Springs Road. Then, Hayes died at the intersection of Little Falls Road and John Marshall Drive.
All three crashes were near schools: Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Kenmore Middle School and Nottingham Elementary School, respectively. And while school zones are slated to get speed cameras, possibly later next year, it won’t help safety at the intersection where Hayes died, which is just outside the school zone boundaries.
Scene of pedestrian struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
In light of these crashes, Board members pressed staff to give timeframes for the police investigation into Hayes’ and Oxlaj Pérez’s deaths. They asked when police will choose a vendor for speed cameras, and asked if more red light cameras could be installed. They urged staff not to let new research into this intersection slow them down.
“We’ve got a lot of data, we’ve got a lot of information that doesn’t require a lot of time to initiate original research and study,” Board Vice-Chair Christian Dorsey said. “I would encourage us to use the data that we have and the analytical framework and tools we have to work as expeditiously as we can.”
County Board member Matt de Ferranti said he visited with a neighbor near Little Falls Road who always has first aid supplies ready to take care of people who get into crashes. There have been a total of three fatal pedestrian crashes along a two-block stretch of Little Falls Road near Nottingham Elementary School over the past eight years.
De Ferranti said he has seen videos showing how hazardous the conditions are. These are examples of “qualitative data” staff should use to prioritize changes to this intersection, he said.
“I really hope we can be thinking in weeks and not months in terms of additional action,” he said.
Staff at Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services, which builds and maintains local roads, say they’re working on preliminary designs for safety improvements, but are waiting for the facts of the police investigation to finalize these designs.
“We are prioritizing this [intersection],” Transportation and Operations Bureau Chief Hui Wang said. “We are trying to see if there are other data we can utilize without the fresh collection.”
Ireland’s Four Courts on fire and an injured person being helped after a vehicle reportedly crashed into it (photo courtesy Craig Smith)
Ireland’s Four Courts on fire after a vehicle reportedly crashed into it (photo courtesy Sean Quinn/Twitter)
Damage inside Ireland’s Four Courts as of 9/15/22 (staff photo)
The car that crashed into Ireland’s Four Courts is taken away on a flatbed tow truck (photo courtesy Dave Cahill)
Ireland’s Four Courts boarded up on 9/15/22 (staff photo)
(Updated at 1:55 p.m.) The rideshare driver who plowed into Ireland’s Four Courts in August, seriously injuring several people, will not face charges.
Arlington County police reiterated this morning that the driver most likely suffered a medical emergency while driving up N. Courthouse Road and speeding into the front of the pub during a Friday happy hour.
“The comprehensive investigation, which included an extensive review of evidence, supported the conclusion the driver experienced a medical emergency prior to the crash,” ACPD said today in a brief update. “Following consultation with the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, criminal charges will not be sought against the driver.”
All three pub-goers who were hospitalized with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries were out of the hospital as of one month ago. One patient was still in critical condition and two others were in stable condition within a week of the crash.
Four Courts’ managing partner told ARLnow today that the cleanup will start soon, now that police and private investigations have wrapped up, though no reopening date has been set. The pub suffered extensive fire damage after the car burst into flames.
“Uber investigators finished their investigation yesterday and we can now finally start the demolition process,” said Dave Cahill. “Once this is done we will know the extent of the damage. We are very grateful for the all the support from all community and from Arlington County as we start this process. We hoping to start the rebuild in a couple of months.”
Police looking for evidence where shots were fired at officers along S. Wakefield Street in Barcroft (staff photo)
(Updated 4:45 p.m.) Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced he’s increasing funds to police departments in a bid to reduce homicides, shootings and violent crime in Virginia.
The move, part of a new policy initiative from the Republican governor, will have implications for Arlington police, prosecutors and local restorative justice initiatives.
More than $100 million is slated to go toward state and local agencies to fix wage compression, increase recruiting efforts — including an expedited training program for police officers moving from one department to another — and provide more equipment and training, per a press release.
“The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) has not been in touch with the Governor’s Office regarding yesterday’s announcement,” spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow.
While the impact on ACPD is still hazy, Arlington Coalition of Police President Randall Mason confirms ACPD’s struggles with recruitment, retention and pay compression, which were exclusively reported by ARLnow last year, mirror those highlighted in Youngkin’s announcement.
Although the 2023-24 budget will play “the biggest role” in staffing, he said, Mason projects that Youngkin’s sped-up, eight-week training academy could be a boon, as it would make it easier for officers to switch from Maryland and D.C. departments to Arlington’s.
“Getting more officers onto the street quicker would benefit both officers and the public,” he said. “ACPD could see a significant benefit from the lateral academy depending on what happens in the upcoming fiscal year.”
Of ACPD’s 377 authorized, sworn police officers, 278 are able to provide solo law enforcement services, Savage said. Sixty positions are unfilled and 39 officers are in a training or have light duty status.
The police department’s 16% vacancy rate is higher than almost all of ACPD’s regional competitors and that gap is poised to widen, Mason said.
“We are on pace to lose more officers than we hire for the second straight year, increasing our vacancy rate even further,” he said. “That is in spite of ACPD’s recruitment staff traveling all over the East Coast, up to 400 miles away, trying to find new officers.”
Recruitment and retention efforts in Arlington (via Arlington County)
Arlington’s 2022-23 budget includes merit-based increases, signing bonuses and work week reductions to try and address these challenges, but Mason says this doesn’t address another gripe officers have with pay — the county’s pay system.
Unlike other jurisdictions, which reward years of service with set pay increases, Arlington has an “open range” system where officers who have less seniority can end up getting paid more than an officer in their same rank, which is the case for a majority of ACOP members, he said.
“You don’t feel valued for the number of years you’ve been here, when someone who’s been here less time is making more than you,” he said.
Additionally, the hiring challenge comes down to the high cost of living.
“Arlington County is a very expensive place to live and work. Over 60% of ACOP members don’t live in the county,” he said. “It’s ACOP’s opinion that Arlington County’s failure to account for Arlington’s high cost of living is the main explanation for ACPD’s vacancy rate being higher than regional competitors.”
The Village at Shirlington (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A man was arrested over the weekend after allegedly walking down a busy street in Shirlington while exposing himself.
Police were called to the 4000 block of Campbell Avenue around 7:20 a.m. Sunday.
“Upon arrival, officers made contact with the suspect and took him into custody without incident,” Arlington County police said in a crime report. “The investigation determined the suspect was allegedly in the roadway exposing himself. The suspect was transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation.”
The Board made its move after the Virginia legislature allowed municipalities to install them in these locations in 2020.
But the Arlington County Police Department is still working on finding a vendor to implement the cameras, says Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien.
“ACPD is in the process of launching a procurement for a vendor, which is estimated to wrap up in spring 2023,” she tells ARLnow.
Once a vendor is chosen, the pace toward implementation could speed up. O’Brien says the county will have a better idea of where the cameras will go and when they’ll be installed “once vendor procurement is complete.”
The same is true for community updates.
“We will begin further community outreach and education once we are closer to procuring a vendor and beginning implementation, which will likely be in spring 2023,” she said.
Camera locations have not yet been chosen, said O’Brien. But Arlington schools have been close to a number of notable crashes, including a fatal crash involving a motorcyclist in front of Drew Elementary School, a fatal crash involving a pedestrian and a driver near Nottingham Elementary School, a fatal pedestrian crash near Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and a less serious crash involving a cyclist near Kenmore Middle School.
Locations will be chosen based on guidelines that DES has worked on with a consultant. That effort, funded by a Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments grant, is wrapping up, O’Brien said.
“The County (ACPD, APS, and DES) will then collaborate to refine and finalize specifications and guidelines, using the information from the grant project combined with local needs and knowledge,” she said.
Future progress, such as approving the vendor or camera locations, won’t need County Board approval, O’Brien said.
Once installed, cameras will identify and ticket speeding vehicles using radar, and police officers review footage to confirm the speeding violations. Tickets will be issued by mail to drivers traveling at least 10 mph over the speed limit, per state law.
The tickets will cost $50 and won’t result in a points reduction on your driver’s license or impact insurance rates.
“Speed camera fines are intended to encourage people to drive the speed limit,” the county says. “Fines do not generate revenue for police or transportation programs. Rather, fines issued will be distributed to the County’s General Fund. Therefore, there is no incentive to use speed cameras to fund department budgets.”
Community engagement is not set to begin until spring 2023. Previous outreach conducted as part of Arlington’s Vision Zero initiative, which reached more than 1,000 community members, indicated support for the cameras, according to the county.
Likewise, some supported speed cameras during online forums facilitated by Arlington’s Police Practices Work Group, as a way to reduce race- and ethnicity-based disparities in traffic enforcement.
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley (staff photo)
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley in 2022 (staff photo)
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley in 2022 (staff photo)
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley (staff photo)
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley in 2022 (staff photo)
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley (staff photo)
Police on scene of shooting in Green Valley (staff photo)
(Updated at 3:30 p.m.) A man said to be armed and firing gunshots in the Green Valley neighborhood has been hospitalized after what police are calling an “officer-involved shooting.”
Officers swarmed the neighborhood after a dispatch, shortly after 7:35 p.m., for a man sitting in front of a house and firing gunshots on the 2100 block of S. Shirlington Road. It’s unclear what he was shooting at prior to police arriving on scene.
A chaotic series of transmissions on the police dispatch channel followed, including officers saying that shots were being fired, that the suspect was walking down the street and not dropping the gun, the sound of yelling, and warnings of potential crossfire. Shortly thereafter, the suspect was reported to be down.
Both police and the suspect fired shots, according to the Arlington County Police Department.
“ACPD responded to 2100 block of Shirlington Rd for the report of shots fired,” the department said. “Arriving officers made contact with armed suspect. Suspect and officers discharged firearms. Suspect has been transported to an area hospital. No officers injured.”
Later, police said the man is expected to survive.
“The suspect, an adult male, is in stable condition at the hospital,” ACPD said. “There are no outstanding suspects related to this incident. There is no apparent ongoing threat to the community.”
The Critical Incident Response Team, established by Northern Virginia police and sheriff agencies to investigate police shootings and other “critical incidents” involving law enforcement, “will conduct the criminal investigation into tonight’s officer-involved shooting,” ACPD said.
Several blocks of Shirlington Road remained closed for an extended period of time. S. Glebe Road was temporarily closed during the incident.
ACPD issued for following press release Saturday afternoon, identifying the suspect as a 44-year-old Maryland man.
A Maryland man is facing charges following an investigation into shots fired in the Green Valley neighborhood which resulted in an officer-involved shooting. El-Amin Mutee, 44, of Waldorf, MD is charged with Brandishing and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Additional charges are pending.
At approximately 7:36 p.m. on October 14, police were dispatched to the 2100 block of Shirlington Road for the report of multiple shots fired. Responding officers encountered the armed suspect in the roadway and gave him commands to drop his weapon. The suspect refused to comply with the officers’ commands and raised the firearm. Two officers then discharged their firearms, injuring the suspect. Officers administered first aid and the suspect was transported to the hospital where he remains in stable condition. The suspect’s firearm was recovered on scene and the preliminary investigation confirmed shots had been fired. No officers or community members were injured as a result of the incident.
At the request of Chief Andy Penn, the regional Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was activated to investigate the incident. Following completion of the investigation by CIRT, the investigative file will be forwarded to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for independent review. In accordance with department policy, the two officers have been placed on routine administrative leave.
There is no ongoing threat to the community related to this incident. This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact CIRT through the Arlington County Police Department’s Tip Line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
MAN WITH GUN, SHOTS FIRED IN ARLINGTON— 2100 blk Shirlington Road in Green Valley area. Unclear if the police have fired as well. Caller had stated gunman had fired shots prior to police arrival. Police have closed down the neighborhood while they locate shooter. @ARLnowDOTcompic.twitter.com/QXSkvBjtkU
Breaking: After @ArlingtonVaPD responded to a report of a man firing shots on Shirlington Rd off Glebe Rd, there was a report of more gunfire when police arrived. Apparently the suspect is down with no police injured. #police@ARLnowDOTcom@RealTimeNews10
LOCATION: 2100 Block of Shirlington Rd. INCIDENT: Police Department Activity IMPACT: All lanes on Shirlington Rd. blocked between 21st Rd. S and 24th Rd. S. Seek alternate routes and avoid area due to Police activity. pic.twitter.com/4BPUVxI6kW
The latest incident happened around noon yesterday (Thursday). Police were dispatched to the parking lot on the 3900 block of Wilson Blvd for a report of a man with a crowbar smashing the window of a car while someone was inside.
“At approximately 12:13 p.m. on October 13, police were dispatched to the report of a destruction of property,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim was inside his vehicle when the suspect approached and smashed the front passenger side window. The suspect fled the scene when he noticed the victim was inside the vehicle.”
The getaway vehicle was said to be a black Honda Civic, according to scanner traffic.
While the timing was conspicuous, given the highly-publicized case involving the D.C. official, police said it does not appear to have any connection to that incident and was likely an attempted theft.
“The victim’s wallet was in the passenger seat at the time of the incident and it appears this incident may have been an attempted larceny from auto,” Savage told ARLnow. “The investigation is ongoing.”
Scene of pedestrian struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
Scene of fatal pedestrian crash along Little Falls Road in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
Scene of pedestrian struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
Scene of pedestrian struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
Scene of pedestrian struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood (staff photo)
(Updated at 12:35 a.m.) A pedestrian has died after being struck in the Williamsburg neighborhood this morning.
The crash happened around 9 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Little Falls Road and John Marshall Drive. Initial reports suggest that that an older woman was struck by the driver of an SUV in or near a crosswalk, and that the woman was in cardiac arrest when she was rushed to a local trauma center.
We’re told that the victim was familiar to local residents and is often seen walking in the area.
Police were still on site investigating the crash well into the morning, with the scene surrounded by police tape. The driver of the SUV remained on scene.
At 11 a.m., a police spokeswoman told ARLnow that the victim, who was in her 80s, has died.
“She was pronounced deceased at the hospital and police remain on scene investigating the fatal crash,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “Her identity is being withheld pending proper notification.”
This is the third fatal pedestrian crash along a two-block stretch of Little Falls Road near Nottingham Elementary School over the past eight years.
ACPD issued the following about the crash Saturday night, with the victim’s name plus a bit more information on the crash and how it happened.
The Arlington County Police Department is investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred in the Williamsburg neighborhood on the morning of Saturday, October 8.
At approximately 9:01 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a crash with injuries involving a pedestrian in the 5800 block of Little Falls Road. Upon arrival, officers located the pedestrian in the roadway suffering from serious injuries. She was transported by medics to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased. She has been identified as Gwendolyn Hayes, 85, of Arlington, VA.
The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the striking vehicle turned left from John Marshall Drive onto Little Falls Road and struck the pedestrian as she was crossing the roadway in the crosswalk. The driver of the striking vehicle remained on scene.
This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Detective D. Galiatsos at [email protected] or 703-228-4163. Information may also be reported anonymously to Arlington County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.
