homicide | ALXnow

Alexandria Crime Activity Up 12% Over Last Year

Published June 8, 2020 at 3:20PM | Updated September 2, 2020 at 10:33AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 4:30 p.m. on June 9) Alexandria Police say that more than half of the crime increases in ALXnow’s recent report are attributable to larcenies from vehicles during the pandemic and 36 incidents at the Target store at 3101 Richmond Highway.

“The 80% increase in larcenies at Target year-to-date (45 in 2019 vs. 81 in 2020) is because the store significantly increased their loss prevention staff in January 2020,” Alexandria Police spokesman Lt. Courtney Ballantine told ALXnow. “This has helped identify more shoplifters, but it does not necessarily represent an increase in shoplifting.

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BREAKING: Teen Charged as Accessory in Southern Virginia Double Murder

By James Cullum

Published March 16, 2020 at 6:55PM

Police car lights (file photo)

Virginia State Police have arrested a Danville teen and charged him with obstruction of justice and as an accessory after the fact in the deaths of two people, including an Alexandria resident. last month in Southern Virginia.

The 17-year-old was arrested on Thursday, March 12, by officers with the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office.

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published March 9, 2020 at 8:30AM | Updated March 9, 2020 at 9:28AM

Questions About Homicide Arrest at T.C. — “Because Aly’s arrest was part of an ongoing criminal investigation, Virginia State Police, the lead law enforcement agency on the case, haven’t released details about his connection to the crime. But some parents and students have sought answers to different questions: Why did the arrest take place at school, and what happened at the school that day?” [Alexandria Times]

Rec Registration Starts Next Week — “Registration for spring and summer classes and activities offered by the City of Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18 for City residents and Friday, March 20 for nonresidents. Spring and summer registration applies to classes, leagues and activities occurring April through August 2020.” [City of Alexandria]

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published February 18, 2020 at 8:00AM | Updated February 18, 2020 at 8:33AM

George and Martha Washington wave at the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Feb. 17, 2020 (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Still No Motive for Student Accused of Double Homicide — “George Ivan Maertens Aramayo said police have not told him why his daughter, 19, and Bianda, 21, were killed. He is not familiar with Mohamed Aly, the 18-year-old from Alexandria who is facing two first-degree murder charges. Aly attended T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, where friends say he was a strong student and athlete hoping to play college football.” [Washington Post]

APD Testing Electric Parking Enforcement Vehicle — “APD’s Parking Enforcement Unit conducted a test of an electric GO-4 vehicle today. Pictured is Parking Enforcement Officer Ms. Fuller, who has operated the GO-4 type vehicle for the last 23 years.” [Twitter]

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BREAKING: Student Arrested at T.C. Williams for Double Homicide

By ALXnow.com

Published February 13, 2020 at 4:05PM | Updated February 13, 2020 at 7:01PM

Police car lights (file photo)

(Updated at 7 p.m.) A T.C. Williams student was arrested at the school today (Thursday) and charged in the killing of two people on a rural Virginia Highway, NBC 4 first reported.

Ntombo Joel Bianda, 21, of Alexandria, and Ayanna Munne Maertens Griffin, 19, of Germantown, Maryland, were found shot to death along Route 58 in southern Virginia over the weekend.

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published February 11, 2020 at 8:10AM | Updated February 11, 2020 at 8:55AM

Alexandria Man Killed in Southern Va. — “A man and a woman from the Washington area were found dead Saturday on a road in a quiet part of southern Virginia, and state police said the two were homicide victims. Ntombo Joel Bianda, 21, of Alexandria, Va., and Ayanna Munne Maertens Griffin, 19, of Germantown, Md., were found at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday.” [Washington Post, WSET]

APD Crosswalk Enforcement in Del Ray — “APD’s Traffic Safety Officers successfully completed a crosswalk enforcement operation in the 400 block of E. Monroe Ave. today. This resulted in 23 citations being issued in 4 hours.” [Twitter]

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published December 23, 2019 at 6:00AM

Financing for Wegmans Development — “The developers behind Carlyle Crossing, the Wegmans-anchored mixed-use development going up near the Eisenhower Avenue Metro station in Alexandria, have lined up $253 million in financing for the project. ” [Washington Business Journal]

Five-Year-Old Found Wandering in Cold — “Authorities in Alexandria say a young child who was found out in the cold early Friday will be reunited with her mother… The 5-year-old was found near a Taco Bell location at the intersection of South Van Dorn Street and Edsall Road before 4 a.m.” [Fox 5]

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published November 19, 2019 at 8:00AM

Taking out the trash in Old Town (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Carpenter’s Shelter Getting Amazon Donation — “A nonprofit that is building a $2 million facility for the homeless in Old Town Alexandria says it has reached its fundraising goal after receiving $300,000 from Amazon, Inc… The donation from Amazon is the latest example of how the retail giant is trying to be a good corporate citizen in Northern Virginia.” [Washington Post, Patch]

Digital Plaudits for City — “Alexandria has been ranked the fourth top digital city of its size in the United States, according to the 2019 Digital Cities Survey… This is the 15th consecutive year Alexandria has been ranked in the top 10, including two years in first place.” [City of Alexandria]

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published October 18, 2019 at 7:30AM

Man Pleads Guilty in Rape Case — “An Alexandria nurse pleaded guilty Thursday to a 2016 rape solved using a genealogical database. Jesse Bjerke, 38, followed a 24-year-old lifeguard to the local pool where she worked one day that September, pointed a gun at her head and assaulted her. He confessed Thursday in Alexandria Circuit Court to rape, abduction and gun crimes.” [Washington Post, WTOP]

Vigil for Homicide Victim — “A candlelight vigil is planned to honor an Alexandria homicide victim. The vigil for De’shon Jenkins, 21, will happen Friday, Oct. 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the 300 block of South Reynolds Street, where the crime occurred.” [Patch]

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Morning Notes

By ALXnow.com

Published October 16, 2019 at 8:45AM

Land Rover Alexandria Is Moving — A developer “has filed plans with Fairfax County to build [an] auto dealership and service center, on a 5.6-acre parcel fronting Van Dorn Street between the Capital Beltway and McGuin Drive, just outside the city of Alexandria… Beyer Auto Group will uproot its Land Rover dealership from its 22-year home at 2712 Duke St. in Alexandria to this new location, while establishing Jaguar sales on the property as well.” [Washington Business Journal]

Water Main Break Near Hospital — An extended, partial road closure was reported near Inova Alexandria Hospital yesterday (Tuesday) evening after a water main broke at the intersection of N. Jordan and Howard streets. [Twitter]

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Alexandria Man, 21, Dies After Reynolds Street Shooting

By ALXnow.com

Published October 15, 2019 at 10:30AM

A 21-year-old Alexandria man succumbed to his injuries Friday after a shooting in the Landmark/Van Dorn area Wednesday.

Alexandria Police identified the victim as De’shon Jenkins. He was shot in the upper body and rushed to the hospital, but passed away two days later.