(Updated 2:15 p.m.) The Alexandria Police Department (APD) and the Child Welfare Services have launched a joint investigation into the abandonment of a child last night.
APD said the child was dropped off by an unknown person at 8 S. Van Dorn Street around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday. APD said they are working with members of the child’s family as part of the investigation.
“At present, the abandoned child who was located last night on South Van Dorn Street is safe and doing well in the custody of Alexandria DCHS Child Welfare Services,” APD said in a release. “Detectives with the Alexandria Police Department and social workers of Alexandria DCHS Child Protective Services are currently meeting with members of the family who are assisting with the ongoing joint investigation.”
APD said information would be provided as it becomes public.
“If you have any information regarding this incident please call 703 745 4444,” APD said. “Tips will remain anonymous.”
According to police:
At approximately 9:45 p.m. last night, officers were dispatched to a call regarding witnesses who had observed a man drop off a young child in front of 8 South Van Dorn Street.
Upon arrival, officers located the little girl believed to be between one and two years old, dressed in warm clothing, and in apparent good health.
Nobody in the area reported knowing the child or who she may belong to. Detectives were called to the scene and Alexandria Child Protective Services (CPS) was notified.
APD said possible video of the vehicle used to abandon the child has been found and police are working to identify it and its owner.
According to the release:
City of Alexandria officials are reminding the public to report suspicions of child abuse or neglect. Residents may call the City of Alexandria Child Protective Services (CPS) at 703 746 5800 24 hours a day or the Virginia hotline at 1 800 552 7096. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Callers have the option of remaining anonymous.
URGENT
We are seeking the public’s help in locating the parents/guardians of this toddler.
She was dropped off by an unknown person at 8 S. Van Dorn St. around 9:45 p.m., Wednesday.
She is currently in the care of Child Protective Services.
Anyone with info, call 911. pic.twitter.com/W3bY6lrzmK— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 25, 2024
Alexandria Police Department is investigating two incidents of gunfire Sunday night, though no one was reported injured.
Eight-to-10 gunshots were reported just before 9 p.m. in the parking lot of the shopping center in the 4000 block of Mount Vernon Avenue. The victim told police that he got into an argument with a Hispanic male in the parking lot and that the suspect fired his handgun at him, striking his car, according to the police scanner.
Two hours after the shooting, APD tweeted that the investigation is ongoing and that the entire block was shut down.
At around 11 p.m., a bullet was fired into the window of a home in the 400 block of N. Armistead Street in the West End.
Anyone with information on these incidents can contact the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
The scene of a shooting in the 4000 block of Mt. Vernon Ave. is now clear.
No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 22, 2024
There is a significant police presence in the 4000 block of Mt. Vernon Avenue in response to a shooting. The block is closed to traffic due to the investigation.
No injuries have been reported.
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 22, 2024
Officers are on the scene of an illegal discharge into a residence in the 400 block of N. Armistead. No injuries reported.
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 22, 2024
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating an alleged assault and armed robbery of a man this snowy afternoon in Old Town North.
At around 1:40 p.m., the victim reported to police that a man wearing a dark jacket and light-colored jeans pulled a tan and black handgun on him, punched him, and took his black Canada Goose jacket with fur lining the hood, according to the police scanner.
The victim told police that the suspect ran west on Montgomery Street.
The incident is under investigation, according to APD.
Anyone with information on this incident can call the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
An Alexandria man was charged with felonious assault after allegedly stabbing an acquaintance inside his West End apartment on Wednesday.
The incident was reported Wednesday morning (Jan. 17) at around 7 a.m. in an apartment in the 300 block of S. Reynolds Street, according to the Alexandria Police Department. Harvey Lewis, Jr., 67, was arrested after allegedly stabbing an acquaintance in the leg. The victim was treated at Inova Alexandria Hospital for a non-life threatening wound.
Lewis was offered $1,000 bond and is currently being held in the Alexandria jail. He goes to court on Feb. 16.
APD is investigating an incident of malicious wounding in the 300 block of S. Reynolds. This occurred between individuals in the same residence. Minor injuries associated and the suspect was apprehended. pic.twitter.com/6IdI4X7Rp0
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 17, 2024
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) announced that Kory Anding, a 28-year-old man who allegedly struck his roommate in the head with a machete, has been arrested.
The incident occurred in the 5400 block of North Morgan Street near Lincolnia on Dec. 23.
Police said last month that they were searching for Anding after the alleged assault left the victim with a serious but non-life-threatening wound.
In a release, APD said Anding was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 11, and is charged with aggravated malicious wounding of an adult male.
James Cullum contributed to this story
(Updated at 1/13) The Alexandria Police Department is investigating two recent swatting calls within a week. In both fake 911 calls, a male admitted to a terrible shooting crime, prompting a significant police response.
On 11:25 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 8), a male told a 911 dispatcher that he “accidentally” shot his brother in the chest after playing with their father’s gun.
The caller told police that the shooting occurred in an apartment in the 5400 block of Richenbacher Avenue near Holmes Run. Four APD cruisers responded to the apartment building and found that no incident occurred. They spent a half-hour patrolling the area and speaking with neighbors before leaving, according to the police scanner.
“This was a fake call,” Tracy Walker, the APD communications manager, told ALXnow. “We responded but did not find any evidence of an injury or shots being fired.”
Three days later, on Wednesday (Jan. 10) at around 11:15 p.m., a male called 911 and said that he shot and killed his wife, that there were kids in the home and that he was going to kill himself, according to the police scanner. A dispatcher told responding officers that the caller was crying during the call.
“Multiple officers responded, however, the incident was unfounded and determined to be a swatting call,” Walker said. “There is no threat to the community as a result.”
Northern Virginia has gotten its fair share of swatting calls over the years. The most recent incident in Alexandria occurred last summer, when someone told a 911 dispatcher that he was a 15-year-old male and was tired of his parents, was armed with his father’s AR-15 rifle and was going to kill them and himself.
“These crimes are not victimless,” said Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes. “An incident of swatting can be traumatic for a community and have tragic consequences. Making a false report compromises the safety of everyone involved, including our officers.”
Falsely summoning law enforcement is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.
Anyone with information on this incident should call the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
Swatting is a dangerous national crime trend that has occurred twice recently in our community. APD takes all threats to public safety seriously & our Criminal Investigations Division investigates incidents of swatting. We want you to be informed, see APD's statement on swatting. pic.twitter.com/emKXtQgpcw
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) January 13, 2024
A juvenile male sustained minor injuries after being pistol-whipped and robbed in Arlandria on Monday night.
At around 11:18 p.m., the victim was robbed by two males outside of an apartment building in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
One of the suspects allegedly struck the victim in the head with his handgun, and the suspects then stole the juvenile’s shoes, car keys and phone, according to the police scanner.
“No arrests were made,” said APD Communications Manager Tracy Walker. “The teen declined to be transported for medical treatment.”
APD says that the incident remains under investigation.
Anyone with information on this incident can reach out to the APD non-emergency line at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
The Alexandria Police Department was the victim of a swatting call on Sunday night (Jan. 8), after a male told a 911 dispatcher that he “accidentally” shot his brother in the chest after playing with their father’s gun.
The call was made at around 11:25 p.m. on Sunday. The caller told police that the incident occurred in an apartment in the 5400 block of Richenbacher Avenue near Holmes Run.
Four APD cruisers responded to the apartment building to find that no incident occurred. Police spent a half-hour patrolling the area and speaking with neighbors, according to the police scanner.
“This was a fake call,” Tracy Walker, the APD communications manager, told ALXnow. “We responded but did not find any evidence of an injury or shots being fired.”
Northern Virginia has gotten its fair share of swatting calls over the years. The most recent incident in Alexandria occurred last summer, when a prank caller told police that he was a 15-year-old male and was tired of his parents, was armed with his father’s AR-15 rifle and was going to kill them and himself.
Falsely summoning law enforcement is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.
Anyone with information on this incident call call the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.
A 42-year-old Alexandria man was arrested last month for allegedly brandishing a firearm against a neighbor living in the same West End apartment building.
Antwain Young, 42, was arrested Dec. 21, six days after the alleged incident. He was charged with brandishing a firearm, possession of a firearm by a nonviolent felon and possession of 11 to 49 marijuana plants. The marijuana charge was dismissed, and Young goes to court for the other offenses on Feb. 16.
The male victim told police that he first got into a shouting match with Young in the parking lot of their apartment building on Dec. 13, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.
Two days later, the victim reported that he got into another argument with Young in the building’s parking garage. When the victim returned to the garage later in the day, Young allegedly approached him, pulled a handgun from his hooded sweatshirt and pointed it at him, according to the search warrant affidavit.
The victim told police that he was chased to the building’s leasing office. He was not injured.
Young faces up to a year in prison and/or a $2,500 fine for the brandishing (a Class 1 misdemeanor) and a year and/$2,500 fine for the possession charge.
Getting your criminal record expunged in Alexandria just got a lot easier.
Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey, Clerk of Circuit Court Greg Parks, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter announced today that their offices have coordinated efforts to create a “one-stop, limited cost, process for all those seeking expungements of Alexandria court and police records.”
The expungement process can now be completed for free at the Alexandria Courthouse (520 King Street), and are granted when the petitioner was acquitted of an incident, the charge was not prosecuted or if the petitioner was granted an absolute pardon.
“I am committed to ensuring that all Alexandrians have fair access to the expungement process, and waiving the service of process and its fee will remove one barrier to those seeking to clear their records,” Porter said in a release.
Expungements are handled in the clerk’s office. When a record is expunged, the record is removed from public access and sealed for three years, after which it is destroyed.
“I am extremely pleased to have the support of Sheriff Casey and Commonwealth’s Attorney Porter in making the expungement process more convenient, and in limiting the out-of-pocket expenses for applicants,” Parks said.
As part of the agreement, the Sheriff’s Office will take fingerprints at the courthouse at no cost to the petitioner.
“Fingerprinting is critical to the expungement process, and the Sheriff’s Office will provide that service to Alexandrians at no cost to make the process easier and faster,” Casey said.
An expungement clinic was conducted last year, resulting in more than 30 criminal charges expunged. Another clinic is anticipated for “early this year,” according to the three offices.
Applicants can get assistance from the Alexandria Bar Association‘s lawyer referral service for $55.