Fairfax County police have released audio from the dispatch call where officers were filmed pointing guns at someone.

The video went viral on social media, showing two officers pointing their firearms at a person filming them detaining someone else.

Police said they were responding to an incident at a Falls Church IHOP where they believed a weapon was involved. Three to four juveniles had threatened a hostess earlier in the day, with one displaying a weapon in his waistband, before they returned at 11 p.m. to try and get the employee to go to the parking lot, police said.

“Possible weapon in progress,” the dispatcher said. “Caller is stating that there are about 10 males outside in reference to a weapon that was flashed earlier about three hours ago, has not seen one tonight, nothing was discharged, concealed. Caller is now saying that they are surrounding the windows from outside of the building, still attempting to get further.”

“Should we ask to see if the guy with the gun is back there,” one person on the audio asks. “Units in route to the weapons complaint, according to the caller, the subjects are currently at the emergency exit and sees the subject from earlier holding a gun, unknown if it’s pointing at them directly.”

As officers detained some of the people they believed were involved, a person approached them with something in his hands, police previously said in a statement.

“Due to the nature of the call and not locating a weapon, officers ordered the subject to the ground at gunpoint,” the Fairfax County Police Department said.

After they shared a description of the teen, someone is heard saying an individual is behind the officers on the sidewalk, saying, “Stop him. Just put him in cuffs.”

The video shows two officers drew their guns, pointed them at a person who was filming them and told him to get on the ground.

County leaders released statements saying the incident will be examined after the video circulated on social media. The police department also said it would be reviewed, like all incidents where officers point their weapons.

A Fairfax man was sentenced to 52 months in jail yesterday (Tuesday) for conspiring to distribute drugs through the darknet in a conspiracy that extended to other Fairfax County residents.

Tyler Pham, 39, conspired to distribute peach tablets through the U.S. mail that were advertised as Adderall but actually contained methamphetamine, according to a U.S Department of Justice press release. Six other individuals previously entered guilty pleas in connection with the conspiracy and were sentenced to over 13 years in prison combined.

The co-conspirators lived in other parts of the county, including Springfield and Annandale, as well as in Alexandria.

Pham was sentenced for conspiring to distribute between 15 and 45 kilograms of the pills from about May 2019 through December 2019, according to the press release. Pham used the moniker “addy4cheap” on darknet markets, the Empire Market and Cryptonia.

Law enforcement agents purchased 767 tablets, weighing about 268 grams total, from “addy4cheap” between August 2019 and December 2019.

On Dec. 9, 2019, search warrants were executed at Pham and his co-conspirators’ residences, including the homes of Lien Kim Thi Phan, 37, of Fairfax, and Hon Lam Luk, 35, of Chantilly.

In the home of Phan and Pham, agents found 95 peach tablets, and in Luk’s residence, investigators found over 6,000 peach tablets weighing approximately 2.2 kilograms, all of which resembled those advertised on “addy4cheap” and those received by law enforcement through controlled purchases.

As of Dec. 10, 2019, “addy4cheap” had completed 3,665 sales on the Empire Market and received 2,568 reviews. Based on these reviews, “addy4cheap” had received approximately $482,572.10 in sales for an approximate 44,872 pills sold. As of Nov. 7, 2019, “addy4cheap” had fulfilled 140 transactions on Cryptonia.

Pham’s other co-conspirators were listed as Phan and Duong Nguyen, 29, of Springfield; Son Nguyen, 36, of Annandale; Dat Nguyen, 37 of Alexandria; and Trieu Hoang, 39, of Springfield.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, which includes local and federal agencies and members, conducted the investigation.

“The task force is charged with identifying and investigating the most egregious Dark Web marketplaces, and the vendors operating on the marketplaces who are engaged in the illegal acquisition and distribution of controlled substances, to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other opioids,” the release said.

The full release is below.

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Fairfax County is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Flood Watch as storms are expected in the region this evening.

The National Weather Service issued the watches this afternoon. They both expire at 10 p.m.

Rainfall could cause flash flooding in the area, according to the Flood Watch.

“Strong to severe thunderstorms will move across the region late this afternoon through the evening hours,” the Flood Watch says. “Heavy rain will accompany a number of these storms which may drop 1 to 2 inches of rainfall in an hour.”

A Hazardous Weather Outlook for the area also says the primary threats are wind gusts and large hail, with the possibility of an isolated tornado.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the entire area through 10PM tonight. Thunderstorms today are capable of producing damaging winds and large hail. An isolated tornado can't be ruled out. A Flood Watch also remains in effect. For the latest: https://t.co/Kt74D8dUsR pic.twitter.com/BS0g6IFvIy

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) July 12, 2022

Per @NWS_BaltWash the potential for severe weather this afternoon & evening has increased. Possible hazards continue to be damaging winds, large hail, isolated flooding along w/ an isolated tornado. Continue to monitor the weather, especially if you have outdoor plans. #VaWx pic.twitter.com/R7lLMCxrmP

— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) July 12, 2022

[7/12/22 at 8:34 AM] A Flood Watch is in effect from 4 PM to midnight tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms will move across the region late this afternoon and evening. Heavy rain will accompany a number of these storms which may drop 1-2 inches of rainfall in an hour. #VaWx⛈️ pic.twitter.com/9slmdaUdTa

— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) July 12, 2022

The full Flood Watch is below.

Event: Flood Watch
Alert:
…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT…

* WHAT…Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.

* WHERE…Portions of DC, Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: in DC, District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Charles, Northern Baltimore, Northwest Howard, Northwest Montgomery, Prince Georges, Southern Baltimore and St. Marys. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Fairfax, King George, Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park and Stafford.

* WHEN…Until Midnight EDT tonight.

* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Strong to severe thunderstorms will move across the region late this afternoon through the evening hours. Heavy rain will accompany a number of these storms which may drop 1 to 2
inches of rainfall in an hour. Additionally, some regions could see repeat thunderstorm activity leading to an enhanced threat for flooding.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
Instructions: You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

The name for Lee District has officially changed.

Last week, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the name “Franconia District” for the Springfield, Franconia, Kingstowne, and Hybla Valley area represented by Rodney Lusk, who brought forward the proposal after community input.

Based on feedback from the community, Franconia was the most agreed-upon name to replace Lee, which fell out of favor due to its possible association with Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

While the new moniker took effect immediately, the approved board matter directed the county executive to report back to the board on what administrative work will be needed to facilitate the change and an expected timeline.

The board also voted to assign staff to reach out to businesses, nonprofits, community groups and other entities that may be impacted by the change and recommend possible strategies to support them.

So, what do you think of the new name?

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Fairfax County.

The watch went into effect at 3:07 p.m. and is expected to last until 7 p.m. this evening (Friday). The forecast says heavy rain and scattered storms are possible tonight.

Going into the holiday weekend, there’s also a possibility of thunderstorms tomorrow, and a chance of rain showers on Sunday. But it’s looking like the sun will pull through for a mostly sunny Fourth of July.

High temperatures through the weekend are expected to reach 90 degrees, and the lows are around 70 degrees.

[7/1/22 at 3:24 PM] ⛈A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued until 7 PM this evening. Please stay weather aware and be ready to move indoors if you have plans outdoors. #VaWx pic.twitter.com/ypfgBAj1hd

— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) July 1, 2022

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia until 7 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/jKFhRRaMfc

— NWS Severe Tstorm (@NWSSevereTstorm) July 1, 2022

The Fairfax County Police Department have publicly identified the 37-year-old man fatally shot by officers at the Springfield Town Center yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.

Officers were attempting to locate Christian Parker, of Reston, around 4:30 p.m., because he was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon, larceny of a firearm, brandishing a firearm and discharging a firearm within a home, police said in a news release today (Friday).

“Detectives from our Fugitive Track and Apprehension Unit learned Parker was in the area of the Springfield Town Center,” police said. “Detectives coordinated with the Summer Crime Initiative team to help find Parker. This seasonal team of officers focuses on suppressing crime during the summer months.”

Officer-involved shooting in Springfield Town Center parking lot. https://t.co/0OhUFiB6kM #FCPD pic.twitter.com/OYY2E9jVAv

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 1, 2022

According to police, Parker was in a parking lot outside of Target when officers at the mall positioned their vehicles to prevent him from escaping. As the police approached, he entered his vehicle, and three officers gave him commands to show his hands, the FCPD said.

Police said it appeared that he reached across the passenger seat and retrieved a firearm, which an officer saw in his hands and told the other officers.

“The officers gave multiple commands to Parker to drop the firearm,” the release said. “Parker disregarded these repeated commands, and two officers discharged their firearms.”

Officers broke the window to his vehicle to enter the locked car and rendered aid until Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel arrived, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

The FCPD says the two officers who fired their weapons were an eight-year veteran of the Franconia Police District Station and a two-year veteran of the Mount Vernon Police District Station.

The department’s policy requires that their names be released within the next 10 days “unless there is a credible threat to the safety of those involved or if additional time is required to thoroughly complete the risk assessment process.”

A criminal investigation by the Major Crimes Bureau is underway. All three officers present at the shooting were wearing body cameras, according to police. The video and audio recordings will be released publicly within 30 days of the shooting.

While it won’t be quiet around Fairfax County on Monday with Fourth of July celebrations, many government offices and facilities will be closed.

Government offices, and some businesses, are closed for the Independence Day holiday. Public transportation schedules may be lighter and public services, like trash collection, may be changed. See our listing below to get details on what will be open and closed.

Government

Fairfax County government offices will be closed Monday (July 4) in recognition of the Fourth of July holiday, but some facilities are open and schedules vary.

The library system’s branches will be closed on Monday. Animal Control is closed, as it normally is, on Mondays.

The Circuit and District courts will be closed Monday.

The Town of Herndon offices will be closed Monday.

Park Authority

All Park Authority rec centers and golf centers and will be open Monday. Historic sites, nature centers and Green Spring Gardens will be closed. Frying Pan Farm Park Farm and indoor arena will be open while its visitor center will be closed. The River Bend Park Visitor Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All Neighborhood and Community Service facilities will be closed Saturday (July 2) through Monday. Reston Community Center Hunter Woods will be open Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Lake Anne will be closed on Monday.

The McLean Community Center will be closed.

Herndon Community Center will be closed Monday. But Herndon Centennial Golf Course will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting.

Transportation

Fairfax Connector will operate on a Saturday service schedule on Monday. Human Services Transportation (FASTRAN) will not operate on Monday.

On Monday, Metrorail will open at 7 a.m. and close at midnight but last train times vary by station. The Orange Line trains will operate between Vienna and Stadium-Armory only, according to Metro, but free express and local shuttle buses will be provided.

Trash

The county advises residents to contact their trash and recycling collector directly for service schedule changes due to the holiday.

The I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex will be closed Monday.

Town of Herndon recycling will be collected Tuesday (July 5) since it is normally collected Monday.

Lee District has officially been consigned to the history books.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed yesterday (Tuesday) to adopt Franconia District as the new moniker for the magisterial district that represents portions of Springfield, Franconia, Kingstowne, and Hybla Valley.

Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said many residents associate the name of the district with positive memories there, such as the sound of footsteps on the boardwalk through Huntley Meadows, visions of the old gravel pits, or pride in the history of the Laurel Grove School.

“However for many, the name Lee District evokes another set of imagery, whether by design or by accident, and we may never know by which, the name stands as a lasting monument to the most recognizable Confederate figure in history,” he said.

Based on feedback from the community, Franconia was the most agreed-upon name.

“The name Franconia has always been central to our identity,” Lusk said. “It’s a name that makes sense, it’s a name that our community has embraced and it’s a name that memorializes a place and not a person.”

Lusk’s office confirmed that the new name “went into effect immediately” after the Board’s vote, but time will be needed to implement the change on signs, websites, social media accounts, and other entities that feature the district’s old name.

The approved board matter directed the county executive to initiate the process to change the name and report back to the board on administrative changes necessary to facilitate the change and a timeline for its adoption.

The board also voted to assign staff to reach out to businesses, nonprofits, community groups and other entities that may be impacted by the change and recommend possible strategies to support them.

“The exact timeline, cost, and scope will be determined through the County Executive’s review,” Lusk’s office said by email.

Just minutes earlier, the board also unanimously voted to call a new community center west of Richmond Highway the “Hybla Valley Community Center.”

Previously home to the Mount Vernon Athletic and Tennis Club, the building was purchased by the county in 2020 to be repurposed into the multiservice center meant to be “the epicenter of basic needs requests in all of South County.”

Lusk presented the motion to name the center at 7950 Audubon Avenue after getting public input at five community engagement sessions, he said.

“This community engagement effort was intentionally designed to reduce barriers to participation, create culturally appropriate engagement settings, and ensure that participation reflected those whose lives will be impacted by the decision,” Lusk said.

The center opened to the public on April 4, with a grand opening ceremony in May. It provides recreation services, youth programs and other resources for the Hybla Valley area in the Richmond Highway corridor.

“This community center is really an amazing place only in the very early stages of realizing its full potential, but one that I think is long overdue to the community,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said.

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) This weekend through next week is set to be full of fireworks, parades and celebrations for the Fourth of July.

In D.C., the National Parade returns for the first time since 2019 after the Covid pandemic canceled the festivities in 2020 and 2021. Nearby, the City of Alexandria is holding its annual birthday celebration on Saturday, July 9, after it was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and scaled back last year.

Throughout Fairfax County, there are also plenty of parades and fireworks if you don’t want to go too far. Here’s a roundup of things to do for the holiday.

Friday, July 1

• Vienna’s Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks at Yeonas Park (1319 Ross Drive SW), 7:30-10 p.m.

Saturday, July 2

• Park Authority fireworks display at Lake Fairfax (1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston), dawn to 10 p.m.
• Fireworks at Workhouse Quad (9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton), 6-10:30 p.m.
• McLean Independence Day Celebration at Langley High School (6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean), 6:30-10:30 p.m.

Monday, July 4

• An American Celebration at historic Mount Vernon (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon), 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
• City of Fairfax Independence Day Parade (4100 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax), 10 a.m.
• Hometown celebration with a parade at Great Falls Village Centre (754-C Walker Road, Great Falls), 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and
• Hometown celebration with entertainment and fireworks at Turner Farm (925 Springvale Road, Great Falls), 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Town of Herndon fireworks at Bready Park (814 Ferndale Ave, Herndon), 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 5

• City of Fairfax Independence Day Evening Show with fireworks at Fairfax High School’s front parking lot (3501 Lion Run, Fairfax), 6:30- 9:30 p.m. (Correction: Fairfax City’s fireworks show was erroneously listed under July 4.)

Fairfax County Police charged a 32-year-old man with malicious wounding in connection to the deadly assault of a homeless woman in Hybla Valley earlier this month.

Chante Antonio Jones was arrested yesterday (Monday) after an officer saw him a block away from where the assault happened, wearing similar clothing from the night of the attack, police said.

Michelle Huntley, 63, was found at a bus stop on June 17 in the 7800 block of Richmond Highway with serious injuries from an assault, police said. She was transported to a hospital, where she died Sunday (June 26). Detectives are still investigating the relationship between Jones and Huntley and what led up to the assault.

Prior to his arrest, police located surveillance footage from areas near the bus stop and distributed an internal bulletin to ask officers for help to identify the person of interest, police said.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death, police said. Pending the results of the autopsy and consultation with the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the charges may be changed.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck acknowledged Huntley’s death at the board’s meeting this morning (Tuesday), mentioning that police had taken a person into custody.

“Michelle was in her 60s and homeless, so a lot of times, we put a false image of what our homeless population is, and it’s just another sad reminder for us that there’s a lot of homeless people in our community, and they deserve respect and dignity,” McKay said. “Thankfully, we do have somebody in custody, but just a tragic, tragic event.”

Huntley was a familiar presence in the community. She had gotten the nickname “Mama” and was known to sleep at the bus stop, ABC7 reported yesterday.

Storck said:

Michelle Huntley was brutally beaten at a bus stop along Route 1. I want to acknowledge her passing, because she frankly did not deserve what she had. She was brutally beaten. She was in the hospital for many weeks, and it’s still unknown exactly what happened. I do want to also acknowledge the incredible work of our police department, not only our homicide unit, but also a patrol officer who happened to notice somebody who met the description of the individual that they’ve identified and arrested this individual, and now this individual is in custody. So, the core of this is to honor Michelle and the tragedy she encountered, but also to acknowledge what an incredible police department we have and how professional and skillful and good they are at making sure bad guys don’t last too long out in our community.