Alexandria Police Department | ALXnow

Woodbridge man dies in Alexandria police custody after public intoxication arrest

Published August 16, 2025 at 4:53AM | Updated August 18, 2025 at 6:29AM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information from Alexandria Police provided at 3:59 p.m. Saturday. Following a Sunday, Aug. 17 press conference, we have a follow up story here – Alexandria Police Chief provides preliminary details on in-custody death, emphasizes ongoing investigations.

Allan F. Tucker II, 32, of Woodbridge died in police custody at the Alexandria Adult Detention Center on Friday evening, hours after officers arrested him for public intoxication following reports of a disturbance at an apartment complex.

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Man indicted on murder, child abuse charges in infant death

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 15, 2025 at 1:30PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A 21-year-old Alexandria man has been indicted on murder and child abuse charges in connection with the death of his 3-month-old daughter nearly two years ago.

Travon Anthony Hugee was charged by a grand jury on Aug. 11 following a lengthy investigation into the infant’s death on July 19, 2023, according to a press release Thursday from the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

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Man convicted in Alexandria hit-and-run that injured teen, prompted school lockdown

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 14, 2025 at 9:45AM

Montgomery and North Patrick Streets, where a teen was struck in a hit-and-run (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 30-year-old man was convicted Tuesday by an Alexandria jury on felony charges stemming from a 2023 hit-and-run incident that left a 15-year-old hospitalized and prompted a lockdown at George Washington Middle School.

Zsavon Gionte Walters was found guilty of malicious bodily injury and hit-and-run causing personal injury to another in connection with the Oct. 4, 2023, incident in the Parker-Gray area of Old Town Alexandria.

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Man who jumped from King Street balcony was indicted for dating app fraud

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 13, 2025 at 4:15PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The man who died Aug. 8 after jumping from a 15th-floor balcony during an FBI arrest attempt had been indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding women he met on dating apps, according to court documents obtained by ABC 7/WJLA.

Shawn Steven Harris jumped from the Alexander Apartments in the 4300 block of King Street around 6 a.m. as federal agents attempted to serve an arrest warrant for wire fraud and false impersonation of a federal officer, according to an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.

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Alexandria resident creates app to track local crime data

By James Cullum

Published August 13, 2025 at 3:15PM | Updated August 15, 2025 at 3:47PM

Police at the scene of a shooting near the Braddock Road Metro station, Sept. 19, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Want to find out what’s happening with crime in Alexandria? A new app created by a lifelong city resident does just that.

Last year, freelance app developer Trevor Weir launched AVAware on the iOS App Store. After a free week-long trial, a $3.99 monthly fee kicks in, giving users an ad-free opportunity to explore publicly available information on all manner of Part 1 crime events occurring in the city.

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Man charged in string of 7-Eleven robberies across Alexandria, Fairfax County

By James Cullum

Published August 12, 2025 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

A man being held without bond in the Alexandria jail faces robbery charges for allegedly walking into convenience stores in Alexandria and Fairfax County with a hammer or tire iron and stealing cigarettes from behind the counters.

Anthony Nyreki Edwards, of no fixed address, goes to court Friday, Aug. 15 on two counts of felony robbery with a weapon. He was arrested on April 30 and has been linked to numerous incidents, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit:

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Four D.C. women linked to organized retail theft ring that hit Old Town Lululemon

By James Cullum

Published August 11, 2025 at 6:30PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Four women arrested and charged with shoplifting in Maryland have been linked to the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from a Lululemon store in Old Town.

On Feb. 19, the Gaithersburg Police Department arrested Precious Spivey, 18, Mone Herndon, 27, Shawn Stewart, 27, and Tanaysia Stewart, 18, all of Washington, D.C., for stealing more than $10,000 in merchandise from Bath & Body Works in Germantown and a LensCrafters and Lululemon store in Gaithersburg. The department said the group was engaged in an “organized retail theft ring.”

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Missing 76-year-old Alexandria woman found safe after hours-long search

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 9, 2025 at 10:10PM | Updated August 10, 2025 at 7:35AM

Alexandria Police Department issued this Critical Missing Female alert on Saturday, August 9, 2025. (Credit: Alexandria Police Department)

A 76-year-old Alexandria woman who went missing Saturday afternoon has been found safe, police said.

Bernise Simpkin was located at 11:18 p.m. Saturday, according to the Alexandria Police Department. She had been missing for nearly nine hours after last being seen around 2:45 p.m. in the North Old Town area.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published August 8, 2025 at 3:30PM

Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita will open at 529 E Howell Ave in Alexandria (via Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita Mexicana on Facebook)

We made it to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories.

Our most-read post is on a proposal to open a 24-hour Mexican restaurant in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The effort is facing some pushback from neighbors wary of potential crime and safety issues. In July, Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita officially announced in a special use permit application that it wants to open at 529 E. Howell Avenue, the former home to Bark Social. It would be the fourth restaurant for the local chain, and while the restaurant won’t serve alcohol, outside patio hours would be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to the application. The inside area is proposed to be open 24 hours a day.

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Maryland man sues Alexandria police officer, former chief over K-9 attack

By James Cullum

Published August 8, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated August 9, 2025 at 1:22AM

The Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A Maryland man who says an Alexandria K-9 officer injured him during his 2023 arrest has filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against that officer’s handler and former Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes.

William Kyle III claims to be the victim of excessive force by police after he was pulled over on July 15, 2023, near a northbound entrance to Interstate 495. Kyle alleges the actions of Alexandria Police Department officer Matthew Wilson and K-9 officer Ares resulted in what he describes as a “severe and permanent” injury to his right shoulder. It was inflicted after Kyle was handcuffed and in police custody, according to the civil complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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Alexandria police captain retires after breaking barriers in 23½-year career

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 8, 2025 at 12:30PM

Captain Monica Lisle (via Alexandria Police Department)

Captain Monica Lisle retired from the Alexandria Police Department this week after 23½ years of service, marking the end of a groundbreaking career that saw her become the first woman to lead the department’s Criminal Investigations Section.

The retirement comes just one day after ALXnow reported that Captain Courtney Ballantine retired from APD last month after 25 years to join Georgetown University Police as deputy chief.