police | ALXnow

New Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes wants cops in schools, says assault by mob incidents on rise

Published June 7, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated June 9, 2022 at 10:41AM

Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes in his office. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes thinks police need to stay in Alexandria City Public Schools — at least for now.

Hayes spoke with ALXnow in his office before the fatal stabbing of Alexandria City High School senior Luis Mejia Hernandez, and also before APD announced last week that due to short-staffing that it is reducing its services to the community. Officers will no longer respond to calls for service that fall under another agency’s responsibility or respond to old crime scenes that show no danger to the public.

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Man charged with brother’s murder in West End shooting

By Vernon Miles

Published June 6, 2022 at 2:50PM

Enoc Cruz Villafuerte, charged with the murder of his brother Jonathan Cruz Villafuerte (photo via Alexandria Sheriff's Office)

The Alexandria Police Department have charged Enoc Cruz Villafuerte, 22, for the murder of his brother Jonathan Cruz Villafuerte, 24, early this morning (Monday).

Enoc was arrested at the scene early this morning where Jonathan was found dead.

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One suspect in custody after fatal West End shooting

By Vernon Miles

Published June 6, 2022 at 9:30AM

1400 N Beauregard Street (image via Google Maps)

Alexandria police say they have a male in custody after a fatal shooting in the West End early this morning.

Bassett said the call for shots fired came in at 1:56 a.m. at 1400 N. Beauregard Street, part of the Brookdale at Mark Center neighborhood in the West End.

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Report: Alexandria Police Department has morale issues

By James Cullum

Published June 3, 2022 at 1:30PM | Updated June 4, 2022 at 2:07AM

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

The Alexandria Police Department is beset by morale issues, according to a report obtained by ALXnow.

In the 2021 APD Organizational Assessment — an annual anonymous survey conducted by the department — 173 department staffers (out of 421 total staff) self-reported their wellbeing as employees.

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JUST IN: Short-staffed Alexandria Police Department to reduce service to public

By James Cullum

Published June 2, 2022 at 4:05PM | Updated June 3, 2022 at 3:20AM

Updated at 7:45 p.m. — A short-staffed Alexandria Police Department is reducing its services to the community, the department announced on Wednesday (June 2).

Police will no longer respond to calls for service that fall under another agency’s responsibility or respond to old crime scenes that show no danger to the public.

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BREAKING: 16-year-old arrested and charged with murder after fatal stabbing at Bradlee Shopping Center

By James Cullum

Published June 1, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated June 1, 2022 at 3:33PM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

Updated at 3:30 p.m. — A 16-year-old Alexandria City High School student has been arrested in connection to last week’s fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez, Alexandria Police tweeted.

The juvenile, who was not named, was arrested more than a week after the May 24 incident, and has been charged with murder. He was arrested sometime Wednesday morning (June 1) and is being held at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center.

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Alexandria man arrested after terrifying abduction and rape in West End apartment

By James Cullum

Published June 1, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 53-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond after a woman was abducted and repeatedly raped in a West End apartment.

The incident occurred on the evening of Thursday, May 12.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By Vernon Miles

Published May 27, 2022 at 3:30PM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

The big story in Alexandria this week was the murder of Luis Mejia Hernandez on Tuesday.

Hernandez was stabbed and killed in a brawl outside of the Mcdonald’s in the Bradlee Shopping Center.

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Police say they’re not at fault in response to fatal stabbing at Bradlee Shopping Center

By James Cullum

Published May 26, 2022 at 1:15PM | Updated May 26, 2022 at 2:08PM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center, two days after the fatal stabbing in the parking lot on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s been quiet at the Bradlee Shopping Center McDonald’s since 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed in a brawl in the parking lot on Tuesday (May 24). Two days after the incident, a lone police cruiser now sits near the spot where Hernandez was stabbed.

Video of the incident obtained by ALXnow revealed that police arrived at the scene before the stabbing occurred, no sirens were used and they struggled to break up the fight. There were about 30-50 Alexandria City High School students involved and no arrests have been made in connection to the incident.

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Police were at the Bradlee Shopping Center before teenager was fatally stabbed

By James Cullum

Published May 25, 2022 at 4:50PM | Updated May 26, 2022 at 11:13AM

Police at the Bradlee Shopping Center where 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez was fatally stabbed on May 24, 2022. (staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 5:45 p.m.) Alexandria Police were at the scene of Tuesday’s brawl prior to the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez, according to video of the incident obtained by ALXnow.

Hernandez was stabbed during a brawl with 30-50 teenagers in the McDonald’s parking lot. A video of the incident obtained by ALXnow showed police cruisers at the scene and an officer attending to Hernandez immediately after he was stabbed.

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Alexandria Police step up patrols in wake of homicide at Bradlee Shopping Center

By James Cullum

Published May 25, 2022 at 2:15PM | Updated May 25, 2022 at 4:23PM

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

Alexandria Police are working overtime to conduct high visibility patrols at school zones in the city.

The increased coverage is in response to Tuesday’s fatal stabbing of a 18-year-old Luis Mejia Hernandez. in the McDonald’s parking lot of the Bradlee Shopping Center — which is in walking distance from Alexandria City High School’s two campuses.