Police are asking for the community’s help to find an SUV allegedly used by a suspect in yesterday’s fatal shooting in Arlandria.
A 29-year-old Alexandria man named Eric Holmes Jr. was identified as the victim in Monday’s fatal drive-by shooting. Holmes was shot in a hail of gunfire around 11:30 a.m. in the 800 block of W. Glebe Road, according to scanner traffic.
“We will end this cycle of violence in our community, but only with your support,” said Mayor Justin Wilson in an APD video posted on YouTube.
“Every day I hear from residents who are so concerned, frightened by this violence and how it is impacting our community, including those who are directly impacted by this violence,” he continued. “The Alexandria Police Department will have the resources they need to keep the community safe, but they need your support to help us do that.”
The incident is the fifth homicide of 2023 and was also the second shooting within a week in Alexandria.
“We need you as a community to help us identify and speak up,” City Manager Jim Parajon said in the video. “When you see something, say something. When you hear about something, you know about something. That’s the only way that we as a community are going to be able to solve this crisis together.”
The city’s gun-related crime skyrocketed 100% in 2022, with 152 gun-related incidents that year, versus 76 incidents in 2021.
To combat the emerging trend, police intend to add multiple mobile camera units to areas with high crime and pilot a “gunshot detection system” next year. The department is also sponsoring community cookouts and coffee meetups.
In the video, Police Chief Don Hayes said he hasn’t seen the city this violent in his 30 years as a resident.
“We are outraged at the senseless violence that is taking place in our city,” Hayes said, urging the community to come forward with helpful information. “We know that someone saw someone and they know something.”
Anyone with information on this incident can upload video, photo and audio files to an APD portal, contact Detective Michael Whelan at Michael.Whelan@alexandriava.
Recent Stories
A 34-year-old Alexandria man has been charged with allegedly attempting to abduct a woman in Old Town earlier this month. At around 11 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1, a 30-year-old…
Is the Alexandria School Board too big? Should their elections be staggered and three-year terms increased? The entire structure of the Alexandria School Board could soon be upended, as these…
The Little Theatre of Alexandria (600 Wolfe Street) is hosting a pair of staged reading events over the next two weeks to commemorate the murder of Matthew Shepard and raise…
Alexandria Police are investigating a robbery outside a Bank of America ATM in the West End. The incident occurred at around 7 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 30) in the 500…
If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.
If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
Family Fun Fall Fest
Mark your calendars and join us for the Family Fun Fall Fest on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 11am – 2pm!
This FREE in-person event will be held at the Shoppes at Foxchase, located at 4641 Duke St, Alexandria, VA
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
