Two men are facing allegations of assaulting first responders in separate incidents in Virginia Square and Pentagon City last week.
The first incident started around 4:30 p.m. Friday, a block away from the Virginia Square Metro station. A shoplifting suspect led officers on a brief foot chase, fled on a Metro train, exited at East Falls Church and then ran on the tracks before being taken into custody nearby, according to Arlington County police.
Orange and Silver Line train traffic was disrupted during the chase. The suspect later tried to strike a medic, police said.
More, below, from an ACPD crime report.
ASSAULT ON MEDIC, 2025-02070149, 900 block of N. Nelson Street. At approximately 4:34 p.m. on February 7, patrol officers were flagged down for the report of disorderly conduct. The preliminary investigation indicates that the male suspect allegedly entered the business, consumed merchandise and exited the establishment without payment. Responding officers located the suspect outside of the business and detained him to conduct the investigation. During the course of the investigation, the suspect provided officers with false personal identification information and subsequently fled the scene on foot into the Virginia Square Metro Station where he boarded a westbound train. A lookout was broadcast and officers at the East Falls Church Metro Station observed an individual matching the description of the suspect on the platform and issued commands. The suspect was noncompliant, entered the train tracks and fled from officers on foot across I-66. Officers located the suspect in the area of the 1800 block of N. Quintana Street where he was taken into custody following a struggle with officers. The suspect sustained minor injuries and upon being evaluated by medics at the scene, he attempted to strike an Arlington County Fire Department Medic. [The suspect], 41, of No Fixed Address was arrested and charged with Assault on FIRE/EMT, Shoplifting, Trespassing on a Railroad Track, Obstruction of Justice and Giving False Identity to Law Enforcement Officer. He was held without bond.
Also in the crime report was an incident in Pentagon City this past Saturday night involving a shoplifting suspect who “ran through a glass door” while fleeing from police.
The suspect was later tased during a struggle with officers, according to ACPD, and a car he had parked nearby was determined to be stolen from Fairfax County.
From the crime report:
ASSAULT ON POLICE, 2025-02080169, 1000 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 6:52 p.m. on February 8, officers on a separate call for service observed the suspect, who was later determined to have shoplifted from a business, running from employees. The officers gave the suspect commands to stop which he disregarded and subsequently ran through a glass door, causing it to shatter. The suspect struggled with the officers attempting to detain him and remained noncompliant as additional officers arrived on scene. An officer deployed their taser and the suspect was taken into custody. During the course of the investigation, officers located the suspect’s parked vehicle outside, determined the vehicle had been stolen out of Fairfax County, VA and located suspected narcotics inside. The suspect was also determined to be wanted by neighboring jurisdictions. One officer was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries considered non-life threatening. Medics transported the suspect to an area hospital for evaluation. [The suspect], 42, of Springfield, Va was arrested and charged with Assault on Police (x2), Destruction of Property, Grand Larceny: Shoplifting, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Possession of Schedule I/II Controlled Substance and Obstruction of Justice and served with the outstanding warrants. He was held without bond.
