Vienna police have identified the teens who allegedly set off fireworks during a fight at the local McDonald’s last month.
An 18-year-old girl from Falls Church and an unnamed 16-year-old have been arrested and charged with causing malicious injury to police officers, throwing a missile at an occupied building, and other offenses, the Town of Vienna Police Department (VPD) announced today (Wednesday).
The incident began around 9:20 p.m. on Sept. 26 when officers were dispatched to the McDonald’s at 544 Maple Avenue West for a report of an ongoing fight “involving a large group of high school students,” police said.
While the responding officers were attempting to break up the crowd, multiple fireworks were “intentionally” launched in their direction, injuring two of them, according to the VPD. The injuries were described as minor and treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel.
Police ultimately deployed pepperballs on the ground to disperse people who allegedly refused to leave the scene.
“The Vienna Police Criminal Investigations Section immediately launched a comprehensive investigation,” the VPD said in a news release. “Led by Detective Herrera, detectives executed multiple interviews and search warrants, which ultimately led to the identification of several suspects connected to the attack.”
Arrested yesterday (Tuesday), the 18-year-old has been charged with:
- Two counts of Malicious Bodily Injury to Law Enforcement Officers
- Two counts of Malicious Bodily Injury by use of an Explosive or Fire
- Two counts of Throwing a Missile at an Occupied Vehicle
- Two counts of Throwing a Missile at an Occupied Building
- One count of Disorderly Conduct
- One count of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
According to online court records, she was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in Fairfax County General District Court for an arraignment on Oct. 14. A preliminary hearing has been set for 2 p.m. on Dec. 30.
The 16-year-old is facing the same charges with the exception of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which isn’t applicable to someone under 18.
Vienna Police Chief Jim Morris condemned the apparently “deliberate” targeting of officers with fireworks as an “unacceptable” and “serious criminal act that endangers both our officers and the public.”
“Thanks to the swift action of our officers and detectives, the assistance of the Fairfax County Police Department, the Virginia State Police, and valuable information provided by our community, we were able to identify and arrest those responsible,” the VPD said.
In addition to injuring officers, the fireworks left a hole in McDonald’s ceiling, according to DC News Now, which reported at the time that employees had been experiencing issues with rowdy James Madison High School students for a year.
The McDonald’s near Edison High School in Franconia (5600 Franconia Road) temporarily banned customers under 21 from dining inside in May following “repeated incidents of student violence.” According to DC News Now, a McDonald’s in Burke was also the site of a fight in August after a Lake Braddock Secondary School football game.
Fairfax County police also investigated an incident on the Fourth of July where individuals allegedly set off fireworks inside the McDonald’s in Reston (11265 Roger Bacon Drive). No injuries or property damage were reported in that case.
Image via Google Maps
