(Updated at 6:40 p.m.) Fairfax County police have arrested an Arlington man who allegedly shot two women, including his wife, at a day care center in West Springfield.
Officers were dispatched to the West Springfield KinderCare at 8518 Bauer Drive at around 2:14 p.m., according to the police scanner on Open MHz.
“Right now, all we have is an unknown suspect shooting outside, still trying to get more,” the dispatcher said.
Based on a preliminary investigation, police believe Julio Pascual Sejas, 41, of Arlington, approached the day care center in an attempt to speak to his wife, who works there, Fairfax County Police Department Deputy Chief Brooke Wright said at a press conference around 5:15 p.m.
When she declined to open the front door, Sejas fired three shots through the door, hitting his wife and another employee of the day care, Wright says. Both women were transported to a hospital with injuries determined to be not life-threatening.
There were more than 70 children inside KinderCare at the time of the shooting, but none of them witnessed it or appear to even have registered that it happened, according to Wright. The children were evacuated to the West Springfield District Police Station (6140 Rolling Road), where they have all now been reunited with their parents or guardians.
“I’m so relieved that kids were not harmed today, because we are talking too much about kids and gun violence that’s happening,” Wright said. “We want parents to know that we’re going to be protecting children as best we can.”
The FCPD announced at 6:37 p.m. that Sejas has been arrested. Detectives had obtained warrants charging him with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and three counts of shooting into a school building.
At the earlier press conference, Wright said no protective order was sought against Sejas “to my knowledge,” but the nature of his relationship with his wife is still under investigation.
KinderCare offers day care and after-school programs for kids ranging from toddlers to 12 years old, including programs that are available during school breaks.
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Updated at 2:40 p.m. on 3/22/2024 — An 18-year-old from Herndon has been arrested in connection to the fatal shooting in McNair, the Fairfax County Police Department announced.
Earlier: A teen has died after getting shot at a hotel in the McNair area of Herndon near Dulles International Airport.
Fairfax County police were dispatched to the Sonesta Extended Stay Suites in the 13700 block of Coppermine Road around 3:33 p.m. for the shooting. A dispatcher reported that the suspect was seen fleeing on foot in the direction of Coates Elementary School, according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.
One teen was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Fairfax County Police Department Deputy Chief Brooke Wright announced in a media briefing shortly before 6 p.m. that the teen had died.
“We have a teenager who’s dead and shouldn’t be, and I can’t imagine anything more devastating for that kid’s family,” Wright said. “We take this very, very seriously.”
Coates Elementary was put on “secure the building” status, meaning that there’s police activity in the area but it’s “unrelated to the school itself,” according to a Fairfax County Public Schools spokesperson. Students are typically dismissed from classes at 4 p.m.
Based on a preliminary investigation, police believe the shooting stemmed from a “physical altercation” between three teens who were all known to each other.
“At some point, they separated physically,” Wright said. “The suspect pulled a firearm and shot at least three rounds. We don’t know how many struck the victim…and there is also a victim who was also a teenager who was shot at and not struck.”
Police are still searching the area for an individual believed to be the shooter, Wright said, noting that the FCPD has “deployed a lot of resources.” Since the person is still believed to have the gun used in the shooting, the searching officers are “heavily armed.”
Officers are on scene of a shooting in the 13000 blk of Coppermine Rd in McNair. A teenager was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The suspect is described a Hispanic male wearing all black clothing. Call 911 w/ any info. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/0aO9QCuz6b
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 20, 2024
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Local police have uncovered a drug operation in Reston that involved the discovery of 1,800 THC vape cartidges, 36 pounds of marijuana and other narcotics, along with guns.
The Fairfax County Police Department says its Gang Intelligence Unit uncovered the stash after they were alerted in February to a juvenile suspected of dealing narcotics and illegally possessing firearms.
The investigation led detectives to execute three search warrants for homes last Friday, March 8. At the juvenile’s home in the 11500 block of Cypress Point Circle, detectives found a 9mm rifle, handgun, ammunition, suspected psilocybin mushrooms, and suspected narcotics, according to the FCPD.
A search of a home in the 11201 block of Reston Station Blvd led to an even bigger haul: six pounds of marijuana, over 880 suspected THC vape cartridges, 160 suspected THC edibles, 690+ suspected Adderall pills, and further evidence of narcotics distribution, according to police.
A third search warrant in the 1500 block of Scandia Circle also uncovered 1000+ suspected THC vape cartridges, suspected THC oil, Marijuana seeds, and further evidence of narcotics distribution.
The 27-year-old resident of the Reston Station Blvd home was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute schedule I/II narcotics and four counts of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
A helicopter-assisted search resulted in the arrest of a man suspected of robbing a bank in Great Falls.
Shortly before 11 a.m. yesterday (Sunday), the suspect reportedly entered the Wells Fargo bank at 750 Walker Road, displayed a firearm and took cash. He left in a car before police officers arrived on the scene, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
When canvassing the area, officers saw a gray Acura speed through a red light near I-495. Fairfax One was able to locate the car as the suspect fled to Maryland.
“Fairfax One directed Montgomery County police officers to the suspect’s location, where they were able to safely take him into custody,” the FCPD said.
A 61-year-old man from Maryland was arrested. The FCPD says evidence of the robbery was found in the car. He was taken to a jail in Montgomery County and held pending extradition to Fairfax County on a bank robbery charge.
FCPD is seeking more information about the case. Here’s more from FCPD on how to get in touch:
Detectives would like to speak to anyone who may have information about this case. Those with information are asked to please call our Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 5. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web – Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers.” Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.
Luther Jackson Middle School students will have to wait for their first dance of the year.
The Valentine’s Day dance scheduled for this afternoon (Wednesday) has been postponed after threats of gun violence at the Merrifield school (3020 Gallows Road) were discovered earlier this week.
While Fairfax County police say there “does not appear to be any substantial threat at this time,” Luther Jackson officials announced the postponement yesterday (Tuesday) “out of an abundance of caution.”
“As soon as we have a new date selected, we will let everyone know,” the school said in a newsletter bulletin. “All tickets already purchased will be honored on the new event date once selected. Regular after-school activities will proceed as usual, and previously canceled activities have been added back on to the signup form.”
The first threat came in the form of graffiti found in a school restroom late Monday (Feb. 12) afternoon, Luther Jackson principal Raven Jones said in a message sent to parents at 8:14 p.m. that day. The graffiti made a “vague” threat that there would be a shooting at the school on “Thursday.”
“We notified the Office of Safety and Security and the Fairfax County Police who have responded, checked the school and begun an investigation,” Jones wrote. “Fairfax County Police continue to investigate but do not believe that there is a valid threat to the school based solely on this graffiti.”
As a precaution, additional security personnel were assigned to the school yesterday morning.
However, a second anonymous threat was found circulating on social media, claiming that there would be a shooting and possibly a bomb at Luther Jackson Middle School this Thursday, Feb. 15. The message appears to have first emerged on Instagram before getting shared on Twitter.
In an update sent to parents at 9:21 a.m. yesterday, Jones said school officials were “aware of the additional social media post also referencing a school shooting on Thursday.”
Fairfax County Police and our Office of Safety and Security are actively investigating. I do not have any further information to share at this time but will update you as soon as we are able. Additional safety and security staff will be monitoring our school.
The safety of our students is our primary concern, and we will always investigate these incidents as soon as we are made aware.
If you or your student has any information to share about this situation, please contact our Office of Safety at 571-423-2000 or through our anonymous safety tip line that you can access online, by text or by phone.
The Fairfax County Police Department says its investigation into the social media threat is ongoing, though there isn’t believed to be a “substantial” threat at this time.
“We urge the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity promptly,” the FCPD said. “Additionally, we encourage individuals to refrain from sharing unverified information on social media platforms to prevent unnecessary panic. The Fairfax County Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals, and we will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter.”
In an attempt to stem what Democratic lawmakers say is an epidemic of guns being stolen from vehicles, the Virginia Senate passed legislation Thursday that would create a $500 civil penalty for firearm owners who leave handguns on a car seat or other areas visible to passersby.
The legislation, one of the first gun control measures put to a full vote in either chamber this year, still needs to pass the House of Delegates and is likely at risk of being vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin after the session ends. Still, the issue highlights the two parties’ diverging views on how to address gun crime, with Democrats trying to reduce the number of guns flowing onto the streets and Republicans calling for tougher enforcement of existing laws.
Sen. Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, said the bill he’s sponsoring uses a “light touch” to try to limit the supply of guns available to people who shouldn’t have them.
“We cannot have our vehicles here in the commonwealth act as vending machines for firearms,” Marsden said.
If authorities spot a vehicle with a visible handgun inside, the bill would allow them to have the vehicle towed. The law would apply to any “unattended motor vehicle” left on a public highway or public property where neither the driver nor a passenger can see it.
To illustrate the extent of the problem they’re attempting to solve, Democratic lawmakers pointed to recent statistics presented by the Richmond Police Department showing a major uptick in the number of guns stolen from vehicles in Virginia’s capital. There were 225 such thefts in 2017, according to city police, and 637 in 2022.
All 19 Republicans in the Senate voted against the bill, with the chamber’s 21 Democrats voting to pass it.
Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, said the fundamental problem is people breaking into cars to begin with, adding that thieves could steal money or anything else of value left in a car and use the proceeds to buy a gun.
“We have to stop it at the beginning,” Peake said. “And that is by stopping people who are breaking into cars.”
Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, argued the bill would have no impact because he’s doubtful many gun owners are so careless as to leave a handgun in plain sight for would-be thieves. The state should instead focus on different kinds of incentives for safe storage, Obenshain said, such as a bill passed in 2023 that created a $300 tax credit to help Virginians buy gun safes and lockboxes.
“We ought not be punishing victims of crimes,” Obenshain said.
Democratic senators said the law’s passage alone would send a message to Virginia gun owners to be more thoughtful about how they store firearms in vehicles.
“Responsible gun owners ought to get in the habit of putting their gun in the glovebox,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax. “Put it in the glovebox every time they get out of their car. Just make it a habit.”
Photo via Tom Def on Unsplash. This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted under a Creative Commons license.
Police recently seized over a dozen firearms and some drugs from a Maryland house in connection to an armed robbery at a hotel in Tysons.
Officers were called to the Residence Inn at 8400 Old Courthouse Road at 3:46 a.m. on Dec. 19 for the reported robbery, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
“The suspects displayed a firearm and pistol whipped the victim before stealing money,” the FCPD said.
The resulting investigation identified a 33-year-old man from Maryland and a 26-year-old woman from Sterling as the suspects, police say.
It also led detectives to search a home in Prince George’s County where they found 13 firearms, three of them reported stolen, and four pounds of a substance believed to be meth. The Prince George’s County Police Department assisted with the search.
The man and woman were arrested by the FCPD’s Fugitive Track and Apprehension Squad. They’re both being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond and face charges of robbery and the use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
The woman has also been charged with crimes related to transporting and possessing drugs, including transportation of over an ounce of a Schedule I/II substance into Virginia, possession of a firearm with Schedule I/II narcotics, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a non-violent convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute Schedule I/II narcotics.
Image via Google Maps
(Updated at 10:55 a.m.) Virginia State Police are seeking witnesses in a possible shooting incident that occurred this morning (Thursday) near the I-495 and Dulles Toll Road interchange in Tysons.
Troopers responded at 6:08 a.m. to a driver stopped in the shoulder along the Capital Beltway’s northbound lanes near the exit to the toll road’s westbound lanes, according to the VSP and scanner traffic on Open MHz.
The driver wasn’t injured, but he reported that his vehicle “had a bullet hole in its passenger side,” state police said.
Starting around 10:30 a.m., the VSP closed all northbound lanes on the Beltway at Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) to the toll road as it investigates the shooting.
“State police has requested the closure so we can search for any possible evidence connected to the vehicle that was shot,” a VSP spokesperson said.
The closure was expected to last 30 to 45 minutes.
State police are seeking potential witnesses, asking anyone who saw “suspicious activity in this area between 5:50 a.m. and 6:05 a.m.” to reach out by phone at 804-750-8798 or by email at questions@vsp.virginia.gov.
Update #Tysons: the time for this closure has been moved to 10:30 am.#VaTraffic #DMVTraffic https://t.co/9QrUFhLk2S
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) January 4, 2024
(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Fairfax County police have arrested two men who allegedly broke into a house in the McLean area earlier this week and robbed and assaulted its residents at gunpoint.
Officers were called to the 1300 block of Spring Hill Road — just north of Tysons and the Dulles Toll Road — at 5:45 a.m. on Monday (Nov. 27) when a 911 caller reported that at least one stranger was in her house “screaming about money,” according to the dispatch on Open MHz.
An investigation found that three people “forcibly entered” the residence and “demanded money” while brandishing a gun, the Fairfax County Police Department said today (Friday).
“The men assaulted two victims inside the home then ran from the residence,” the police department said in a news release. “One victim was taken to the hospital for injuries considered not life-threatening.”
Officers located one of the suspects — identified as 32-year-old Lorton resident Jaquan Ross — that day with help from a helicopter and K9 unit. Ross was spotted by the chopper “attempting to conceal himself by laying on the ground,” according to the FCPD.
Ross has been charged with three counts each of abduction and robbery, burglary, malicious wounding, and use of a firearm while committing a felony.
The subsequent investigation led detectives to identify Elijah Thomas, 24, of Dumfries as one of the other men involved in the robbery, the FCPD says. He was arrested yesterday (Thursday) and faces the same charges as Ross, with the addition of one count of being a felon in possession of a gun.
Police say the third person involved in the incident was also a man, but they’re still working to identify him.
Though the 911 caller described the intruders as strangers, the FCPD says detectives don’t believe the robbery was committed at random.
“During the investigation, certain facts and circumstances led investigators to believe this was not a random act,” the police department said in a statement to FFXnow. “The case is still currently under investigation and detectives are actively following leads.”
Ross and Thomas are both in custody without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. After an arraignment on Tuesday (Nov. 28), Ross will get a preliminary hearing on Feb. 28, 2024, while Thomas was arraigned today and scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 4, according to court records.
(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) Kilmer Middle School in Tysons has stepped up the presence of its security team today (Friday) in response to an alleged threat of gun violence heard during a fight.
In a message sent to parents at 3:10 p.m. yesterday (Thursday), principal Steven McFarlane said the school had been “made aware of an alleged threat of gun violence that was overheard by students during a fight” that afternoon.
The incident prompted an investigation by the school’s Office of Safety and Security and the Fairfax County Police Department, which jointly determined that there was “no direct threat” at the time.
“Out of an abundance of caution, tomorrow we’ll have extra Safety and Security presence to ensure our students feel safe,” McFarlane said in the email.
According to the FCPD, its school resource officer at Kilmer began an investigation after someone reported overhearing one of two students involved in “an altercation” say that they “may bring a gun to school.”
The police department initially told FFXnow that it was determined “no threat to bring a gun to school was made,” but a spokesperson later clarified that the investigation is still ongoing.
“The students involved have been identified,” the FCPD told FFXnow by email. “There is no active threat to the school at this time. FCPS will conduct their own risk assessment with the student(s) as a follow-up.”
FCPS didn’t return a request for additional comment.
According to McFarlane, the investigation included a risk assessment. Fairfax County Public Schools requires a team of school staff to conduct an assessment “when a student makes an explicit or implicit threat or demonstrates concerning behaviors that may pose a danger to the safety of school staff or students.”
McFarlane’s full message is below:
November 30, 2023
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We have been made aware of an alleged threat of gun violence that was overheard by students during a fight this afternoon. Fairfax County Police and our Office of Safety and Security are involved in the investigation, which includes a risk assessment. It has been determined that there is no direct threat to the school at this time. Out of an abundance of caution, tomorrow we’ll have extra Safety and Security presence to ensure our students feel safe.
The safety of our students is our primary concern, and we will always investigate these incidents as soon as we are made aware. The first step that you should take if your child shares a safety concern with you is to contact authorities. If your safety concern is an emergency, please call 911. FCPS Office of Safety and Security also has a safety tip line that you can access anonymously online, by text or by phone.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Steven McFarlane
Principal
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