Alexandria’s City Council unanimously approved releasing $657,629 to allow the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center to continue operating, but that doesn’t mean they’re happy about it.
Council was told that the detention center (200 S. Whiting Street) has seen a dramatic increase in usage over the last year, and that the center is pursuing a pilot program with National Capital Treatment & Recovery to introduce a substance abuse recovery program to the unit. They were also told that an unused portion of the facility was being studied for future use.
“I would say at least 50% of our children have experimented with fentanyl,” Johnitha McNair, the detention center’s executive director, told council. “It is highly addictive, so many of them come in with needs to have addiction and withdrawal and treatment services provided immediately.”
The fate of the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center has been uncertain for years. Last year, City Council placed the funds into a reserve account until city staff could provide recommendations that:
- Optimize capacity within Northern Virginia for Juvenile Secure Detention services
- Leverage available physical plant capacity for alternative uses
- Pursue new regional partnerships for use of facilities and staffing
Mike Mackey, director of the city’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Service unit, said that the center has reached its capacity of 46 youth over the past year. He also said that detention-eligible cases involving Alexandria youth increased 66% last year, and 100% involving Arlington youth.
“By comparison… in 2020 the average daily population was 12,” Mackey told Council. “In 2022 it was nine, and in this fiscal year the average daily population is 26. The center has seen the population go up to its capacity of 46. Today there are 38 youth 17 of whom are from Alexandria, 10 from Arlington.”
But Mayor Justin Wilson, before Tuesday’s vote to release the funds, chided Earl Conklin, chair of the detention center’s commission and Arlington’s director of court services, for not bringing concrete proposals on new programs and services at the facility to Council.
“Where’s the proposal?” Wilson asked. “If it requires capital investment, bring us something. I, for one, have been yelling asking for that for eight years, and all I hear is, ‘We have ideas. We’re talking about these ideas.’ Where’s a proposal? I mean seriously, if it requires some investment, if it requires something to drive that forward — help me help you —Â what are we not doing to make that happen?”
Conklin replied, “I think the primary message the board has gotten was of closing the (detention) center.”
“That’s not true,” Wilson interrupted. “Let me be crystal clear. As the one who has been the instigator on this, I have never said that this is about closing the facility. It has always been about how do we optimize the capacity that we have in the region, and whether that means consolidation in Alexandria, consolidation in other jurisdictions, repurposing part of the facility, whatever, it’s not been about closing the facility.”
The detention center is regulated by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice and overseen by the Juvenile Detention Commission, which is made up of two members from Arlington, one from Falls Church, and two from Alexandria. It first opened in 1958 and houses youth with serious offenses and behavioral issues from Alexandria, Arlington County and the City of Falls Church. The center saw a 72% reduction in the number of juveniles in the facility between 2006 and 2019, prompting a reduction of beds at the facility from 70 to 46 in 2016, according to a cost-benefit analysis by the Moss Group.
The facility is also home to an unlocked shelter for up to 14 at-risk children.
Deputy City Manager Yon Lambert told council that any proposed programming changes will be presented this fall. In the meantime, Lambert said that an assessment of the detention center will be submitted to the General Assembly in October.
“If we have any budget requests, then we can process it in the fall so that the staff and the (city) manager and council can determine if its viable,” Lambert said.
Vice Mayor Amy Jackson said that the facility needs to remain open.
“We need it now more than we ever did,” Jackson said. “The numbers were decreasing. and then here we are. They’re increasing again more than they have in years.”
A 17-year-old former Alexandria City High School student was found guilty Tuesday for last year’s fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez in the parking lot of the Bradlee Shopping Center.
Judge James C. Clark found the teen guilty of second-degree murder and murder by mob and said that the case is a tragedy for all involved. The defendant sat silently as Clark rendered his decision at the conclusion of the two-day bench trial. He faces between five-to-40 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge and five-to-40 years for the murder by mob, or lynching, charge.
“(The defendant) injected himself into that fight,” Clark said while rendering his verdict, and said that the suspect “made the unspeakably poor decision to approach Mr. Mejia Hernandez and interject himself in a fight he was involved with and stabbed him in the chest.”
Clark continued, “There was clearly a mob in the Bradlee parking lot. (The defendant) injected himself in that fight, not in the heat of passion or out of fear of Luis Mejia Hernandez.”
The stabbing occurred during a brawl between two rival gangs of Alexandria City High School teenagers on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 — a week before graduation. The fight was over within one minute, and Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed in the heart. An autopsy showed that he also had abrasions to his neck, chin, the back of his hands, abdomen and knees, according to the medical examiner who testified that the cause of death was a 7/8-inch stab wound to the chest.
“I’m very happy,” said Osmin Mejia Romero, the victim’s father, after Clark announced the verdict.
Defense attorney Sebastian Norton argued that his client acted in self-defense, was frightened and not a member of the mob — all claims that Clark refuted when announcing his verdict. Norton showed still images from videos of the incident revealing Mejia Hernandez winding up his right hand to strike the defendant, and said that the stabbing was “tragically an unlucky shot.”
The defendant told police during his interrogation that two rival gangs, which he dubbed “Chiri” and “West,” agreed to fight that day at the Bradlee Shopping Center.
“(The defendant) reasonably feared death or great bodily harm,” Norton said. “What happened on May 24 was a tragedy.”
Commonwealth’s Attorney David Lord said that the defendant callously found the fight he was looking for.
“Fifty random students of a city high school didn’t meet near the McDonald’s in order to eat cheeseburgers and ice cream,” Lord said. “(The defendant) was looking for a fight that day and he found one.”
The defendant is being held in the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center and will be sentenced on September 28. Clark has the option to sentence him entirely as a juvenile or adult, or combining a juvenile and adult sentence. Clark said that between now and September should give him time to determine the character of the defendant and whether he’s a “gang banger.”
An 16-year-old Alexandrian is in custody after allegedly pistol-whipping his father over a fight about taking out the trash.
The incident occurred at around 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 30, at an apartment in the 3300 block of S. 28th Street in the West End. After the incident, police received a call from the father, who reported that the argument was sparked when he told his son to take out the trash.
“His son became angry and began yelling,” police said in a search warrant affidavit. “His son then pulled out a black gun, possibly a Glock, from his waistband and pointed it at his father… (The father) said his son… shouted that he was going to kill him, racked the slide of the gun, pointed it at his father’s upper stomach/chest area, and pulled the trigger.”
The gun misfired, the father told police.
“(The son) became frustrated that it did not fire and then hit his father in the back/side of the head with the butt of the gun,” police said in the search warrant affidavit. “(The father) also advised that his son is on probation for an armed robbery (with a firearm) of sneakers.”
The son’s mother was also in the room, and disputed the account. She told police that the father was “egging” on their son and that she saw a black object being pointed at the father, but said it was not a gun, according to the search warrant affidavit.
The father told police that his partner was lying to protect their son, but “he was not going to let someone try to kill him then hit him with a gun and not tell the truth,” police said in the search warrant affidavit.
The suspect and his mother missed an appointment with police to turn him in on August 2. Warrants were then issued for the juvenile suspect for attempted malicious wounding, possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm by a felon and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
The 16-year-old was eventually apprehended, and is now in custody in the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center. Alexandria Police could not release any further information on his status.
The Alexandria Sexual Assault Center and Domestic Violence Program is available 24/7 to listen and help at 703-746-4911.
“If you are a neighbor and know that an abusive incident is occurring, call the police immediately,” the city said. “Calling the police is simply the most effective way to protect the victim and children from immediate harm.”
Two Alexandria juveniles were arrested earlier this month for shooting a gun in Arlandria.
The incident occurred at around 11 p.m. in the 3800 block of Executive Avenue. Police were alerted by a witness that two juveniles shot a handgun in an alleyway and fled on foot. The witness saw the 15 and 17-year-old suspects then run into a nearby apartment building and the lights turn on in an apartment, according to a search warrant.
“The weapon used in this incident was recovered by officers,” Alexandria Police public information officer Marcel Bassett told ALXnow.
The 15 and 17-year-olds were charged with illegal discharge of a firearm and illegal possession of a firearm by persons under 18 and transported to the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center.
The two adults in the apartment told police that the teenagers moved in with them two months ago and pay $350 in monthly rent, according to the affidavit.
Alexandria nonprofit ALIVE! will conduct six free food distributions throughout the city this month.
No identification is required to pick up the groceries, produce, chicken, eggs and bread.
The food can be found at the following pop-up sites:
- Friday, March 4, from 4:30 – 6 p.m. — Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center (200 S. Whiting Street)
- Thursday, March 10, from 4:30 – 6 p.m. — William Ramsay Rec Center (5650 Sanger Avenue)
- Friday, March 18, from 10:30 – 12:00 p.m. — Old Town Community Church (212 S. Washington Street)
- Saturday, March 19, from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. — Fairlington United Methodist Church (3900 King Street)
- Saturday, March 19, from 10:00 – 12 p.m. — UNCUT Youth (1501 Cameron Street)
There will also be three larger distribution events on Saturday, March 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m:
- Drive through and walk-up — Cora Kelly Elementary School (3600 Commonwealth Avenue)
- Drive through — NVCC Alexandria Campus (parking lot B-1 via 500 Dawes Avenue)
- Walk-up — William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Ave)
ALIVE! has given away millions of pounds of food during the pandemic, and needs donations and volunteers.
An Alexandria juvenile was apprehended and transported to the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center after allegedly robbing another juvenile of $8 with a fake handgun.
The incident, which occurred at around 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12., was reported to police by the victim’s parent. The parent reported that one juvenile held a gun on the victim while the other took $8 and “attempted to take the victim’s shoes and coat,” police said in a search warrant affidavit.
“It was investigated and discovered that all parties involved in this incident were juveniles who’ve interacted with each other in the past,” Alexandria Police spokesman Marcel Bassett told ALXnow
The victim was not injured.
Police found the suspect at home, and after being given Miranda warnings admitted to stealing the $8 with a replica handgun described as a Glock; with a blue slide,” police said in the warrant.
A 15-year-old Alexandria male was charged with felonious assault after allegedly stabbing a man twice in the parking lot in the Landmark area of the West End.
The incident occurred Monday, October 11, at around 10 p.m. in the parking lot of 101 S. Whiting Street.
Security footage from a nearby gas station showed the suspect walking toward the apartment complex minutes before the incident, police said in a search warrant affidavit. Surveillance footage from the apartment complex then captured the suspect allegedly walking from car to car and pulling on door handles.
“The first few handles he pulled, the doors did not open and (it) appeared the vehicles were locked,” police said in the affidavit. “Once the subject found an unlocked door, he immediately entered the vehicle and sat in the drivers seat… Approximately 10-15 seconds later, the victim walked up to his vehicle and attempted to open the door.”
The affidavit continued, “At this time, I observed the suspect leap from the vehicle and start a physical altercation with the victim. During this time the victim was attempting to restrain the suspect and hold him until help arrived. Once the suspect was controlled, I observed him strike the victim two times in the shoulder and torso area.”
The victim’s lung was punctured, and one of his arms was stabbed.
“The victim received serious but non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the encounter,” Alexandria Police Captain Chris Wemple III told ALXnow. “Alexandria Police detectives were able to later identify the suspect as a 15-year-old juvenile and charge him with felonious assault.”
On October 16, the suspect’s father listed him as a runaway. He later returned home — nearly two miles away from the scene of the incident — and was interviewed by police on October 28.
The Alexandria Police Department announced that a 17-year-old male has been arrested and charged with crimes related to a shooting on Four Mile Road last week.
Last Sunday, Oct. 10, a juvenile male was shot at Park Vue of Alexandria apartments (511 Four Mile Road) just before noon. The victim had a gunshot wound on his upper body, but the injuries were considered not life-threatening and he was taken to the hospital.
The suspect fled the scene before police arrived, a police press release noted.
Police, on Monday, announced making an arrest in the case.
“Alexandria Police officers arrested a 17-year-old male on Friday, October 15, 2021, in connection with the October 10 shooting,” Police said in a release. “He was charged with Malicious Wounding, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Juvenile. He is being held at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center.”
Two Alexandria teenagers were arrested earlier this month for a number of serious firearm-related crimes.
The 17-year-olds were pulled over on Route 1 by Virginia State Police at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4, after allegedly assaulting a man and stealing his wallet.
The suspects were pulled over driving a black Audi Q5 SUV after being followed by their alleged victim, who called police while driving northbound on Interstate 395 near the King Street exit.
The suspects were arrested for possession of a stolen firearm, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
After their arrest, one of the suspect’s fathers asked that police search his home for weapons and contraband, and requested that the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center hold him because “he is afraid of his safety,” according to a search warrant affidavit.
The father described his son as angry and violent, and told police that in January he found a loaded firearm and marijuana in his home.
Alexandria City Councilman Mo Seifeldein wants the underutilized 60-year-old Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center to shut down.
Staff from the City of Alexandria, Arlington County and Falls Church will make recommendations over the next several months on how to proceed with the building at 200 S. Whiting Street in the West End, which houses youth with serious offenses and behavioral issues from the three jurisdictions.
Seifeldein said that the detention center facilitates inequality, as the inmate population is disproportionately made up of minorities.
“We must work to institute a new, community-based system that best responds to the needs of all of our children and students,” Seifeldein said. “Black youth are consistently and disproportionately detained and incarcerated during pre- and post-trial adjudication, compared to their white counterparts.”
A cost benefit analysis released last fall revealed that the facility is underutilized, with Black juveniles making up an estimated 60% of inmates, followed by 39% white inmates, 31% Hispanic inmates and about 5% listed as other/unknown. There were 150 juveniles committed in fiscal year 2019, and saw a 72% reduction in the number of inmates between 2006 and 2019. That led to a reduction of beds at the facility from 70 to 46 in 2016.
Fairfax County reportedly does not want the inmate at its juvenile detention center, although last fall was at 25% capacity with 121 beds.
“We must work towards creating meaningful restorative outcomes that address the root causes of misbehavior and help our children work beyond their mistakes in order to create promising futures,” Seifeldein said. “This begins with closing the Northern Virginia Detention Center.”