West End | ALXnow

Dumfries man charged in Alexandria park shooting stemming from TikTok argument

Published August 12, 2025 at 12:30PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A 35-year-old Dumfries man faces multiple charges related to a shooting last month at Ben Brenman Park (4800 Brenman Park Drive) in Alexandria’s West End.

The July 10 shooting was the result of an argument in a TikTok livestream between Aria and the male victim, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit. Samir Ahmad Aria was charged with reckless handling of a firearm, shooting in a public place without injury, and pointing/brandishing a firearm — all Class 1 misdemeanors punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.

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2 Alexandria business owners charged in first skill games indictments

By James Cullum

Published August 11, 2025 at 1:30PM

Skill games at Tiger Mart & Bakery, 3903 Mount Vernon Avenue in the city's Arlandria neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

Two people have been charged with possession of an illegal gambling device for operating skill games, marking the first indictments against Alexandria business owners.

The Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office just announced that a grand jury returned indictments against Alexandria business owners Oscar Salinas, 57, and Michelle Kim, 53, both charged with one count of possessing an illegal gambling device. Salinas is an Arlington resident, and his restaurant is located in the 3800 block of Mount Vernon Avenue in the Del Ray North Shopping Center. Kim is from Montgomery County, Maryland, and her business is located in the 200 block of S. Van Dorn Street.

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Washington Wizards to ‘tip-off’ 2025-2026 school year with backpack giveaway at William Ramsay Elementary School

By James Cullum

Published August 6, 2025 at 3:30PM

ACPS Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt with G-Wiz, the Washington Wizards mascot, at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, Aug. 23, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Washington Wizards will tip off the 2025-2026 school year at William Ramsay Elementary School next Friday (Aug. 15).

Even though school officially starts on Monday, Aug. 18, Washington Wizards rookies Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins are joining mascot G-Wiz and the Wizards Dancers in handing out free Wizards backpacks filled with school supplies, water bottles, and more. The event will be held at the school, located at 5700 Sanger Avenue, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m.

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ABC store closes to public on Duke Street, converts to licensee operations

By James Cullum and Ryan Belmore

Published August 6, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated August 7, 2025 at 10:40AM

The Virginia ABC store at 4349 Duke Street has closed (via Google Maps)

An ABC store in Alexandria’s West End closed to retail customers last month and converted its operations to serve alcohol licensees only.

The store at 4349 Duke Street closed July 15 after nine years of operation, according to Virginia ABC. The agency moved the location’s contents to 901-929 S. Pickett Street, about 2 miles away, where it now serves licensees rather than walk-in customers.

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ALIVE! closes West End Food Hub ‘until further notice’

By James Cullum

Published July 7, 2025 at 1:00PM

The ALIVE! West End Food Hub at 510 S. Van Dorn Street is closed until further notice due to an HVAC issue (via ALIVE!/Facebook)

Alexandria residents who get free meals from ALIVE!’s West End Food Hub will have to seek other accommodations.

Last week, ALIVE! announced that the food hub at 510 S. Van Dorn Street will be “closed until further notice” due to an ongoing HVAC replacement. Still, there are plenty of ways to get free food this month in Alexandria.

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Expired Landmark Overlook project in Alexandria’s West End gets three-year extension

By James Cullum

Published July 3, 2025 at 1:45PM

Landmark Overlook would transform the corner of South Wilkes Street and Stephenson Avenue into a mixed use property with hotels or office buildings, two-level stacked condominium units, apartments and retail. (Image via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria City Council, this week, approved the three-year extension of an expired plan to build hundreds of residential units in Alexandria’s Landmark area.

The three-year development special use permit for the 8-acre Landmark Overlook project expired in February. Council initially approved the plan in 2022 by West End Development Associates to build 450 residential units in seven townhomes and two multifamily apartment buildings on the eight-acre site at 5901, 5951, and 5999 Stevenson Avenue and 2 South Whiting Street.

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Man found in Holmes Run with duct tape around mouth died of ‘self-inflicted’ gunshot, APD says

By James Cullum

Published July 2, 2025 at 4:48PM

A man was found dead in the 5200 block of Holmes Run Parkway, July 2, 2025 (via Google Maps)

A man found deceased this morning (July 2) with a gunshot wound to his head and black duct tape wrapped around his mouth in Holmes Run Park shot himself, according to a preliminary report from the Alexandria Police Department.

APD was notified at around 6:45 a.m. that a man with black duct tape wrapped around his mouth was found lying on the ground near a picnic table in the 5200 block of Holmes Run Parkway, according to dispatch reports. Police are conducting an investigation into the death, and the investigation is ongoing, according to APD.

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AlexWest Small Area Plan wins top award

By James Cullum

Published June 30, 2025 at 3:15PM

Traffic backup heading eastbound along Duke Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria’s plan for the development of its West End just won a top award from the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA).

After years of discussion, the City Council adopted the AlexWest Small Area Plan last December. With the massive WestEnd mixed use development working to unveil several new buildings, and Inova at Landmark poised to open in 2028, the plan recommends significant expansion of Dora Kelley Nature Park, a new public park adjacent to the Winkler Botanical Preserve, and a new park at the corner of Seminary Road and N. Beauregard Street.

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No injuries in industrial fire in Alexandria’s West End

By James Cullum

Published June 27, 2025 at 10:00AM

An early morning fire in the 600 block of Burnside Place in Alexandria's West End, June 26, 2025 (via Facebook)

No injuries were reported after the Alexandria Fire Department extinguished a blaze at a commercial building in an industrial area of the West End on Thursday (June 26).

The Alexandria Firefighters Inc. Local 2141 reported the blaze just after 3 a.m. in the 600 block of Burnside Place, which is just off S. Van Dorn Street.

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City hosting construction update on Cameron Station Overpass Bridge makeover

By James Cullum

Published June 25, 2025 at 3:30PM

The Richard B. Liebach Bridge at Duke Street in Alexandria's West End (via Google Maps)

Repairs to the overpass bridge linking Duke Street and Ben Brenman Park, near Cameron Station, are scheduled to begin this month, and the city is hosting a community meeting on the project.

The city estimates that the $2.5 million repair project will be completed by November, and it includes periodic lane closures on Breman Park Drive and Duke Street near the bridge during construction hours, according to the city. The project schedule is also contingent on the weather.

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Improvements to John Ewald Park in Alexandria’s West End heading to public hearing Thursday

By James Cullum

Published June 25, 2025 at 1:45PM

A conceptual rendering of improvements at John Ewald Park at 4452 Duke Street (image via City of Alexandria)

A relocated children’s area, enhanced lighting and multi-use courts are just a few of the proposed recommendations to revitalize John Ewald Park (4452 Duke Street).

Plans have long been in the works for the West End park, and the city’s Park and Recreation Commission will hold its public hearing on the improvements on Thursday (June 26) at 7 p.m. at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Avenue).