police | ALXnow

Hung jury for California man accused of 2020 West End murder

Published December 21, 2022 at 10:00AM | Updated December 22, 2022 at 10:46AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

After a lengthy trial, a hung jury couldn’t reach a verdict against a 24-year-old California man accused of murdering a man in the West End in 2020, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney will retry the case in February.

On Thursday (Dec. 15), the jury remained deadlocked on whether Ahmed Mohammed Shareef should be charged with murder or manslaughter in the Nov. 2020 shooting death of 23-year old Yousef Omar. The jury did, however, find Shareef guilty of racketeering with 20 others for operating a drug trafficking organization between the D.C. Metro area and Los Angeles, California.

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D.C. man arrested after Friday’s armed carjacking on S. Van Dorn Street

By James Cullum

Published December 20, 2022 at 3:30PM

A Washington, D.C. man is in custody after an armed carjacking and eluding police in Alexandria’s West End on Friday morning (Dec. 16).

The incident occurred at around 10:30 a.m. in the 500 block of S. Van Dorn Street in the city’s Landmark area. Police said that the suspect brandished a handgun and that the 29-year-old male victim went to the hospital, but was not injured.

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Alexandria striving to make it easier for non-citizens to join law enforcement

By Vernon Miles

Published December 20, 2022 at 2:30PM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where and 18-year-old was stabbed and killed on May 24 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Among the many topics covered in the legislative package, Alexandria is sending to the state is a proposal that could make it easier for locals who are not citizens to join the Police Department and Sheriff’s Office.

At a meeting last week, Legislative Director Sarah Taylor told the City Council about a proposal she received from Alexandria’s Sheriff’s Office.

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Man busted buying $500 gift card with stolen credit card in Potomac Yard

By James Cullum

Published December 20, 2022 at 11:00AM

Police car lights (file photo)

A 34-year-old man tried to buy a $500 Apple gift card with a stolen credit card at the Best Buy in Potomac Yard last month, just minutes after another thief used the same stolen card for a $500 card purchase.

The man, who has no fixed address, was arrested at the store at 3401 Richmond Highway by an Alexandria Police Officer working an off-duty security detail, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

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ACPS considers making school resource officers into teachers and informal counselors

By James Cullum

Published December 19, 2022 at 2:55PM | Updated December 20, 2022 at 11:37AM

About 58% of Alexandria City Public Schools students feel safe in school, with bullying, gang activity and selling/using drugs topping a new list of concerns.

Consequently, ACPS is considering enhancing the role of its school resource officers to not only serve as law enforcement but as teachers and informal counselors.

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APD: Robbers steal rental car key from driver on N. Henry Street

By James Cullum

Published December 15, 2022 at 1:15PM

There was a robbery in the 1200 block of N. Henry Street on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (via Google Maps)

A 23-year-old man was robbed of his rental car key by two people in the 1200 block of N. Henry Street on Friday, Dec. 9.

The Alexandria Police Department said that the victim, who is not a city resident, was sitting in his rental car at around 4 a.m. when approached by a man and a woman. The pair implied that they had a weapon and demanded that the victim hand over his personal items.

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APD: 16-year-old beaten and robbed by group on Kenmore Avenue in the West End

By James Cullum

Published December 15, 2022 at 9:30AM

A juvenile was beaten and robbed by group in the 4700 block of Kenmore Avenue in the West End on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. (via Google Maps)

A 16-year-old Alexandria resident was beaten and robbed by six juveniles in the West End on Saturday night (Dec. 10).

The incident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. in the 4700 block of Kenmore Avenue. The victim suffered minor injuries, and told police that the suspects brandished a weapon of some kind and stole personal items.

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Man arrested after allegedly crashing into multiple cars on N. Quaker Lane

By James Cullum

Published December 14, 2022 at 9:30AM | Updated December 14, 2022 at 10:11AM

A man was arrested after allegedly crashing into several cars and running from police in the 500 block of N. Quaker Lane on Nov. 24, 2022. (via Google Maps)

Alexandria police arrested a man after he allegedly crashed his car into multiple vehicles and and got into a foot chase with police.

The incident occurred on Thanksgiving (Nov. 24) at around 2:30 p.m. in the 500 block of N. Quaker Lane, according to a search warrant affidavit recently released at the city’s courthouse..

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Alexandria partners with local synagogue to obtain hate crime prevention funding

By Vernon Miles

Published December 12, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police at night (staff photo by James Cullum)

Last Friday, Alexandria won a $147,600 grant from the state to protect local religious congregations from hate crimes.

The grant funding is the end result of a partnership between the Alexandria Police Department (APD) and the Agudas Achim Congregation. The $147,600 in grant funding comes from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services’ Combating Hate Crime Grant.

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Police called after ‘altercations’ at Alexandria City High School

By James Cullum

Published December 5, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated December 5, 2022 at 6:56PM

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

(Updated at 5 p.m.) Police responded to “student altercations” today at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard campus but the incidents did not result in a lockdown, the school’s principal wrote in an email to parents on Monday afternoon.

Three juveniles were arrested for obstruction of justice. No students went to the hospital or were reported injured, police said.

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Old Town Christmas tree sale helps fundraise for police department’s youth camp

By Vernon Miles

Published December 5, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police Foundation Christmas tree sale (image via Alexandria Police/Twitter)

If you’re still looking for a Christmas tree, buying at one spot in Old Town could also help send kids to a local youth camp run by the Alexandria Police Department.

Proceeds from an ongoing Christmas Tree sale at 110 Callahan Drive — just outside Alexandria’s Union Station and the King Street Metro station — will help send kids to the Alexandria Police Youth Camp.