Arlington County police officers working the final night of the county fair called for backup after reportedly coming under attack during an arrest.
The incident happened Sunday night just before 9 p.m., an hour before the fair’s closing time, on the upper soccer field of the Thomas Jefferson Community Center grounds.
All available police units in the county were sent to assist officers who reported a crowd “throwing objects at us while we’re trying to make an arrest” and asked for help clearing people from the soccer field. Numerous police vehicles could be seen rushing to the scene, near the intersection of Route 50 and Irving Street.
Several tipsters described the incident to ARLnow as a “near riot.” Another said her daughter and others attending the fair got caught up in the mayhem.
“They shut down everything. Didn’t tell people to leave though. There was a big fight and a couple kids got arrested,” the tipster said last night. “She is sheltering in place at a friend’s house because she said there are lots of police all throughout the streets.”
An Arlington County police spokeswoman said that two men were arrested after getting into a fight at the fair. The second suspect ran from police, leading to a brief foot chase and “a crowd… throwing water bottles and other objects at the officers.”
From an ACPD crime report:
ASSAULT & BATTERY, 2024-08180177, 3500 block of 2nd Street S. At approximately 9:00 p.m. on August 18, officers working a detail at the Arlington County Fair responded to the report of a fight on the soccer fields. The preliminary investigation indicates private security observed the two suspects in a physical fight. One suspect was detained without incident while the other suspect ran from a responding officer. The officer initiated a foot pursuit and took the second suspect into custody. While taking the suspect into custody, a crowd formed and began throwing water bottles and other objects at the officers. Additional officers responded and cleared the soccer field of attendees. [Suspect 1], 25, of Temple Hills, MD was arrested and charged with Assault & Battery and Obstruction. [Suspect 2], 23, of Sterling, VA was arrested and charged with Assault & Battery.
