police | ALXnow

Alexandria bomb threat suspect was found guilty for similar offense in 2016

Published March 28, 2023 at 3:30PM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 33-year-old man with a history of making bomb threats in Alexandria faces three more counts of making bomb threats to the city’s 911 call center.

Mikhail Stefon Douglas, of Severn, Maryland, faces three counts of making bomb threats to the city’s Department of Emergency and Customer Communications call-takers on Nov. 8, 2022. No explosives were found during a police search of the DECC facility at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue and no one was injured, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

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Alexandria’s gun-related crime skyrocketed 100% in 2022

By James Cullum

Published March 23, 2023 at 2:30PM | Updated July 24, 2023 at 12:25AM

A heat map showing all shots fired calls for service in the City of Alexandria from January 2018 to Feb. 27, 2023 (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria’s gun-related crimes increased 100% from 2022 over 2021, according to a police report that will be presented to City Council next Tuesday.

The Alexandria Police Department released the city’s Part I (crimes against people) and Part II (nuisance crimes) statistics for 2022 this week, and included are the reported numbers of homicides, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults and more.

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Alexandria man arrested after allegedly strangling ex-girlfriend

By James Cullum

Published March 23, 2023 at 11:00AM

Police car lights (file photo)

A 47-year-old Alexandria man is out on bond after allegedly strangling his ex-girlfriend in her apartment last month, according to police.

The incident allegedly occurred at the victim’s apartment on Sunday, Feb. 12, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit. The victim reported that the suspect allegedly strangled her inside of her apartment.

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Alexandria’s police department has diversity issues, some APD personnel say

By James Cullum

Published March 21, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated May 4, 2023 at 6:12PM

Alexandria Police at the annual wreath laying ceremony for fallen officers on May 10, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Despite previous commitments to diversity, including recruitment efforts and leadership from a Black chief of police, the Alexandria Police Department is contending with diversity issues.

Officers tell ALXnow a reorganization that occurred after Chief Don Hayes stepped into his leadership role in 2021 rewarded close connections and disregarded officers of color and civilian staff, which they say is a sign that Hayes does not want to make waves.

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Man hospitalized with serious injuries after West End shooting on Saturday

By ALXnow.com

Published March 21, 2023 at 10:45AM

A man was shot in the 400 block of N. Armistead Street on Saturday, March 18 (via Google Maps)

A 32-year-old man was shot and seriously injured at a West End apartment complex on Saturday morning, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

The man was shot in the upper body at around 10:30 a.m. in the 400 block of N. Armistead Street.

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No arrest after gunfire near North Ridge neighborhood on Sunday

By James Cullum

Published March 14, 2023 at 10:45AM

No arrests were made after gunfire was reported in the area of W. Braddock Road and Kenwood Avenue on Sunday, March 12, 2023 (via Google Maps)

There were no injuries or arrests after gunfire was reported near the intersection of Quaker Lane, King Street and Braddock Road on Sunday.

The Alexandria Police Department received multiple calls for service at around 2:45 p.m. to the 1700 block of W. Braddock Road — about two blocks away from Alexandria City High School’s King Street campus.

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No arrest after car windows smashed by BB gun in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published March 10, 2023 at 1:15PM

This car window was shot out by a BB or pellet gun on Monday, March 6, 2023 (via Nextdoor)

No arrests have been made after car windows were shot out by a BB gun in Del Ray this week, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

Two incidents occurred in the early morning of Monday (March 6)– one at the corner of E. Bellefonte Avenue and Leslie Avenue, and the other in front of an apartment building in the the 3000 block of Mount Vernon Avenue.

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Driver crashes into police cruiser and charged with DUI in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published March 7, 2023 at 10:50AM

A Fairfax County man was charged with driving while intoxicated in the

A Fairfax County man goes to court this week for allegedly crashing his car into an Alexandria Police cruiser while driving drunk.

The incident occurred at around midnight on Sunday, Feb. 26, near the intersection of S. Washington Street and Green Street. There were two officers in the cruiser at the time of the crash. While the airbags were deployed, no one was injured in the crash, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

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JUST IN: Alexandria City High School teacher confiscates handgun from a student

By James Cullum

Published March 6, 2023 at 11:40AM

Alexandria Police at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus has been taken off of “secure the building” mode after a handgun was confiscated from a student.

ACHS Executive Principal Peter Balas notified parents of the incident in an email. A teacher reported the weapon to school administrators at around 9 a.m., and the building was placed in “secure the building” mode at 9:15 a.m.

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Police: Man murdered in Landmark shooting Friday night

By James Cullum

Published March 4, 2023 at 2:55PM | Updated March 4, 2023 at 3:22PM

A man was shot to death in the 200 block of S. Reynolds Street on Friday, March 3, 2023 (via Google Maps)

No arrests have been made since a man was fatally shot in the Landmark area on Friday night.

The Alexandria Police Department was dispatched to the 200 block of S. Reynolds Street at around 11:30 p.m. for reports of a man shot in the upper body. Multiple callers reported to police that a black SUV fled the area after the incident.

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Alexandria Police Department adding body worn cameras next month

By Vernon Miles

Published March 2, 2023 at 1:45PM

Body worn camera on an Alexandria Police Department officer (image via Alexandria Police Department/Twitter)

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) announced today that it will start rolling out its body worn camera program in April.

In a release, APD said the deployment will be on a rolling basis, with the goal of every sworn personnel being issued a camera within the next year.