What a week full of news in Alexandria.
With city offices closed due to Veterans Day on Wednesday, there were still a number of big stories.
homicide
What a week it’s been in Alexandria.
Our top story this week was the report that Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. sends one of his children to Bishop Ireton High School. In case you missed it, the story first broke in Theogony, the T.C. Williams High School newspaper.
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It’s the end of a busy week in Alexandria.
Once again, crime and public safety stories were the most read on ALXnow.
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The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office on Thursday confirmed that suspected ISIS terrorists Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh are being held in the city jail.
The former British citizens are accused of conspiring to kidnap and kill U.S. and western hostages between 2012 and 2015, including Americans Jim Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. The British government reportedly allowed their extradition after the U.S. Justice Department agreed not to seek the death penalty.
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Alexandria has seen an 18% overall surge in crimes against people and property so far this year, according to Part I crime statistics recently released by Alexandria Police.
There has also been a 47% increase in car thefts, a 19% rise in thefts overall and a 15% rise in felonious assaults.
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Alexandria Police have arrested a 19-year-old Alexandria man for the murder of John Harding Pope in the West End on Sept. 30.
Tavon Marquis Lanier was arrested on Sunday and charged with second degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
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Alexandria was dominated by violent crime events this week.
The second murder of 2020 occurred on Sept. 30, and ALXnow identified the victim as 57-year-old John Harding Pope. Mayor Justin Wilson and members of the City Council offered their condolences and said that justice will be served.
ALXnow has identified the victim from Wednesday’s murder in the West End as John Harding Pope.
Pope, 57, was shot at his home in the 5900 block of Quantrell Avenue in the Mayflower Square apartment complex. He later died at the hospital.
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In response to the city’s second murder, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said the city must redouble its efforts to “get these dangerous criminals and their weapons off our streets.”
“I am saddened to hear that another Alexandria neighborhood has experienced this horrific violence,” Wilson told ALXnow. “I know that our Police Department is working around the clock to bring the perpetrator of this homicide to justice and I have every confidence they will be successful. I keep the victim and his family in my thoughts during this extraordinarily difficult time.”
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A 57-year-old Alexandria man was shot to death on Wednesday afternoon in a residential neighborhood in the Landmark area.
The incident occurred just before 4 p.m. Alexandria Police found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound in the 5900 block of Quantrell Avenue. The man later died at the hospital.
Beyer Calls Breonna Taylor Ruling Unjust — “Breonna Taylor should still be alive. She did not deserve to die. This is not justice.” [Twitter]
Visit Alexandria Thanks Community With Video — “Here’s our tribute to Alexandria’s small businesses, hospitality workers, health department and city government, who are standing together in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. We thank you!” [Twitter]