Public Safety - Week of June 9, 2023

Man arrested in gun story robbery

A Brandywine, Md. man has been arrested for the April 29 burglary of Dominion Defense gun store in Springfield. 

Fairfax County detectives identified and obtained an arrest warrant for one of the four suspects involved in the burglary. On May 22, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) arrested Cedric Antonio Minger, 20, at a home in Washington, D.C. Minger was partially identified by a clergyman after surveillance footage was disseminated, according to Fairfax County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Ashleigh Landers Sutton. She said that during the arrest Minger tried to flee and one agent was wounded. At that time 11 weapons were recovered from the home where he was taken into custody.

The burglary occurred on April 29, between 3 and 4 a.m. at Dominion Defense, 7200 Fullerton Road, Springfield. Minger and three other masked men were seen on security footage working together to gain entry into the business through a small opening above the door. The men stole 53 firearms, which were a combination of long guns and handguns. The fourth subject remained outside as a lookout. The suspects left in a gray Acura four-door sedan with no front license plate. Minger has been charged with burglary and larceny of firearms. He remains held without bond at the adult detention center.

According Landers Sutton, one of the weapons was taken to school by a juvenile in Washington, D.C. where he aimed it at another student and pulled the trigger. The gun was not loaded.

Minger was convicted of an armed robbery in Washington, D.C. in 2019; he was a juvenile at the time. He faces charges for multiple violent crimes in D.C. and Maryland, according to Landers Sutton.

To date, through the cooperative efforts between our law enforcement partners in the National Capital Region, 15 out of 53 guns stolen in the burglary have been recovered.

The U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, detectives from FCPD Major Crimes Bureau and the National Shooting Sports Foundation are partnering together and asking for the community’s help in identifying the outstanding suspects in the overnight burglary. A reward of up to $11,000 is being offered.   

Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said in a statement that his office remains vigilant regarding the threat of gun violence in Fairfax County and that his office is working across law enforcement agencies to reduce harm and prevent future violence.

However, late last year Descano was under fire after several media outlets reported on the case of Kevin Lemus. Lemus was arrested for murder in September 2022. He had been released in April after facing two counts of drug possession and a related gun charge.

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding this incident or others to call our detectives at the West Springfield Police District at 703-644-7377.

Fairfax Fire battles Lorton landfill fire

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews responded Rainwater Landfill in the 9900 block of Richmond Hwy. in Lorton at about 11 p.m. June 5 for reports of an outside fire. Smoke from the fire was visible from Route 1 and I-95.

Units remained on scene early Tuesday morning and the fire was contained, according to an update on Twitter. Shortly after noon they declared the fire to be under control. The landfill is mainly logs and brush.

According to FCFRD officials, Hazmat crews were on scene conducting atmospheric monitoring because of the amount of smoke generated. They said that all readings were within normal levels. Crews remained on scene to assist with extinguishment efforts. At 9:08 p.m. FCFRD provided another update saying that Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services, Prince William and Rescue and Fairfax County Police worked along with the property owner throughout the day to extinguish the bulk of the fire. Units were to remain on scene through Tuesday night to hit the hot spots. Fire investigators will determine the cause of the fire.

Police seek burglary suspects

Fairfax County Police detectives are asking community members to help identify four males involved in a commercial burglary that occurred on the morning of May 26.

Around 3:06 a.m., officers responded to the 7-Eleven at 5638 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway in Alexandria. Two males forcibly opened the store’s locked door. One of the males removed the victim from behind the counter and pushed him out of the store. While the clerk ran away to call for help, the other two suspects backed a black pickup truck through the front window of the store, knocking over the ATM inside. The suspects tried to pry the ATM open but were unsuccessful and left the store in the truck.

Anyone with information regarding this incident or others is asked to call detectives at the Mount Vernon Police District at 703-360-8400. 

Man arrested in vandalism

City of Fairfax Police officers responded to Amazon Fresh at 10360 Fairfax Blvd. at 9:04 p.m. June 2 for the report of a vandalism. 

The reporting party stated that an unknown male damaged their Honda sedan by striking it multiple times with a shopping cart and kicking the windshield. Police located the male nearby. Further investigation revealed that the male was intoxicated. 

Kevin Legg, 40, of no fixed address, was taken into custody and transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he was charged with felony destruction of property and drunk in public. Legg was held without bond.

VA-TF1 receives $25,000 donation

Trucking Cares Foundation, the trucking industry’s charitable arm, donated $25,000 to Virginia Task Force-1, one of the world’s leading disaster response resources.

“One of the things the Trucking Cares Foundation was established to do was support those in need, domestically and internationally, following natural disasters,” said TCF Chairman Phil Byrd, president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express. “The work Virginia Task Force-1 does in post-disaster search and rescue is a critical component in helping people get back on their feet and we are proud to support their efforts. The TCF contribution is intended to help fund the acquisition of special equipment that falls outside normal budget appropriations. The bottom line is, if there is any industry that appreciates the need for special equipment, it is the trucking industry.”

Virginia Task Force-1 is an elite team of emergency managers and planners, physicians and paramedics and includes specialists in the fields of structural engineering, heavy rigging, collapse rescue, emergency medicine, logistics, hazardous materials, communications, canine and technical search. Through partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, the team assists in search and rescue operations around the world and across the country.

While Virginia Task Force-1 is funded for their missions through their partnerships, according to the team the TCF contribution “is greatly appreciated and will be immediately used for acquisitions to increase effectiveness. Supplemental funding allows for equipment flexibility that otherwise we would not have.” 

“When disasters strike, trucks filled with water, food and fuel are often among the first things people see as they begin picking up the pieces,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear, vice chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation. “But our work can’t begin until groups like Virginia Task Force 1 get on the ground and begin rescue and recovery efforts. We are pleased to help this tremendous organization prepare for the next time the unthinkable happens.”

The Trucking Cares Foundation is the trucking industry’s charitable arm, focusing on several core areas, including: humanitarian and disaster relief; eradicating human trafficking; leadership development; strengthening the industry’s relationships with law enforcement, the military and veterans’ organizations; safety and research opportunities.

Vienna man arrested for larceny

City of Fairfax Police Officers responded to 7-Eleven at 3910 University Dr. at 12:38 p.m. May 31 for the report of a larceny. 

The reporting party stated that an unknown male grabbed beer and food and left the store without rendering payment. Further investigation led to the identification of the suspect. Officers obtained a warrant for petit larceny from the Fairfax County Magistrate's Office. 

On June 1 Alex Pratt-Jalloh, 23, of Vienna, was served June 1 at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he was being held on unrelated charges. Pratt-Jalloh has been released on recognizance. He has upcoming court dates on July 7 and 24 on unrelated charges and an August 24 hearing on the petit larceny charge.

Wave two of Road Shark Underway

Earlier this week, the Fairfax County Police Department started the second “Road Shark” campaign throughout the county. Road Shark is a high-visibility and coordinated enforcement and education effort to deter aggressive driving, reduce crashes, and change driving behavior.  

Officers from around the county are increasing their visibility and traffic enforcement efforts in the hopes of educating drivers, interrupting aggressive driving, and encouraging safe driving behaviors. According to FCPD, complacency behind the wheel can prove deadly. Crashes are often attributable to excessive speed, distraction, and aggressive driving. FCPD hopes officers can provide complacent drivers with a reminder that good driving behavior and driving habits can save lives. 

During the last campaign, FCPD and Virginia State Police partners issued more than 3,775 citations.  

FCPD hopes to measure public trust in real-time

The Fairfax County Police Department is launching Zencity’s Blockwise, a new public survey tool used by dozens of leading police departments around the country, to understand local concerns, attitudes, and trust in police officers. 

The tool will enable FCPD to holistically understand local neighborhood safety issues, enhancing their responsiveness to community priorities. 

“This effort represents a belief that we can only improve what is measured,” said Chief of Police Kevin Davis. “With this survey we will collect better data and be more responsive to the concerns and issues of our residents, in addition to our existing focus on reducing crime and disorder.”

Earlier this month the survey was implemented to gather responses from residents in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese Urdu, Telugu, and Amharic. The survey will appear to residents through the use of digital ads in various locations such as news websites, social media platforms and other applications.

In addition to My90, which is a post incident survey, Blockwise is meant to assist in obtaining public sentiment about the FCPD as well as feelings about crime and the fear of crime. Blockwise will collect anonymous feedback from all community members including historically marginalized communities. Based on responses, the survey will measure resident satisfaction regarding residents’ feeling of safety and trust in police while also identifying key concerns residents want the Fairfax County Police Department to address. Additionally, this feedback from the community can help us align our community engagement efforts with the community’s expectations. This is in line with the Fairfax County Strategic Plan, One Fairfax, and Engage Fairfax to achieve inclusive community engagement.

Survey results will be shared with the public quarterly on the FCPD website. Zencity does not collect any personally identifying information. All responses are kept confidential.