Several roads in Pentagon City and Rosslyn will be temporarily closed this Saturday for the Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K and 2023 Rosslyn Jazz Fest.

While jazz enthusiasts sway to soulful tunes, just a few miles away, emergency responders will be lacing up their running shoes for the Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff, & ECC 9/11 Memorial 5K race in Pentagon City.

From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., two roads will be closed for the music festival:

• Langston Blvd, eastbound from Fort Myer Drive to N. Moore Street
• Fort Myer Drive access road, from 19th Street N. to N. Moore Street

The festival will take place from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and feature several jazz acts, including Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Pedrito Martinez Group, Oh He Dead and DuPont Brass, as well as food trucks and games.

Road closures around the Pentagon City and Crystal City will begin at 5 p.m. to prepare for the Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K, which has raised money for 9/11-related charities since its inception in 2002.

The race, which kicks off at 6 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m., will start and end at the DoubleTree Hotel in Pentagon City. All road closures in the area will be lifted by 8:30 p.m.

More on road closures about the 5K from a police press release:

The Arlington County Police Department will close the following roadways around the Pentagon and in Crystal City to accommodate the event:

From approximately 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

• Army Navy Drive, from S. Eads Street to 12th Street S.

From approximately 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

• S. Eads Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
• S. Fern Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
• S. Hayes Street, from Army Navy Drive to 12th Street S.
• Army Navy Drive, from S. Joyce Street to S. Eads Street
• S. Joyce Street, from Army Navy Drive to Columbia Pike
• Columbia Pike, from S. Oak Street to Washington Boulevard
• S. Washington Boulevard, from Arlington Boulevard to Columbia Pike
• S. Washington Boulevard, from SB George Washington Parkway
• Route 110 S., from I-66 and Wilson Boulevard to Army Navy Drive
• Marshall Drive, from Iwo Jima Access Road to Route 110 S.
• Southgate Road, from S. Nash Street to Columbia Pike
• The ramp to Army Navy Drive from NB I-395 Exit 8A, Arlington Ridge Road, and N. Washington Boulevard
• The ramp from NB I-395 Exit 8C to Pentagon City / Crystal City

ACPD said motorists should expect traffic and “extended travel times” in the surrounding areas. The department advises seeking “alternative routes to reduce road congestion,” including taking Metro.

The Rosslyn Metro Station is located within walking distance of the jazz festival while both the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations are in walking distance of the race. Paid parking is available at the Pentagon City Mall garage.

Police say additional street parking near both events will be restricted and motorists should be on the lookout for temporary “No Parking” signs.

A Maryland woman was cited by police after her car was towed, unknowingly with two young children inside.

Arlington County police were called shortly after 11 a.m. today (Tuesday) by a distraught woman reporting that her car was stolen from outside the Macy’s in Pentagon City. A one-year-old and a three-year-old were inside the vehicle, the woman reported.

“At approximately 11:10 a.m. on September 5, police were dispatched to the 1100 block of S. Hayes Street for the report of a stolen vehicle with two children inside,” police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “While officers were responding to the call, it was determined the vehicle had been reported as towed for being parked in a no parking zone.”

The car had been towed by Advanced Towing and was back at their lot in Ballston, a dispatcher told officers, who then responded to the lot.

“The preliminary investigation indicates the tow operator was unaware the children were inside and upon notification, pulled over to check on them,” Savage said. “Responding officers then made contact with the children and determined they were in good health.”

The 26-year-old driver of the car that was towed “was charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and released on a summons,” Savage added. “The investigation into the incident is ongoing.”

ARLnow was on scene as the woman arrived in a police cruiser and was reunited with the children within the tow lot.

An Advanced Towing spokeswoman confirmed to ARLnow that the vehicle was towed while the engine was still running, so the air conditioning was still on in the car as temperatures reached into the 90s. Her towing fee was waived, the spokeswoman said.

John O’Neill, owner of the towing company, told ARLnow that the driver looked into the car but did not see the children. They were in their car seats in the backseat of the Hyundai crossover-style vehicle, ARLnow observed through the tow company’s fence, after a police officer had opened a rear door.

“I looked at the driver’s pictures before towing you cannot see those kids in the car at all,” O’Neill said. He claimed the vehicle was left unattended for 16 minutes in a tow-away zone outside the Pentagon City mall.

“We see this all the time,” O’Neill said. “She didn’t want to be inconvenienced to take the kids out to go into the mall and left them unattended in the fire lane.”

The normal procedure when a driver sees children in an unattended vehicle, he said, is to “call the police and we wait.”

Advanced has been the target of much ire — from members of the public and public officials alike — over its prolific trespass towing, which many claim is done in a reckless or “predatory” manner.

In 2021, a lawsuit by Virginia’s then-Attorney General resulted in a fine levied by an Arlington judge — though the suit was largely unsuccessful and O’Neill claimed vindication. Last month, Arlington County began enforcing zoning rules related to Advanced’s tow lot, following a campaign by a local Twitter user.

In 2020, O’Neill was injured by an Uber driver who struck him while trying to drive off the lot without paying. The driver later pleaded guilty to reckless driving.

A carjacking attempt in the Ballston area Monday morning was foiled by the vehicle’s stick shift, police say.

The incident happened around 5:45 a.m. on Labor Day at the Harris Teeter parking lot on the 600 block of N. Glebe Road.

Three men carjacked a victim who was driving a Kia Soul, but did not get far as they apparently did not know how to operate the vehicle’s manual transmission, according to police and scanner traffic.

The Fairfax County police helicopter was called in to help search for the suspects but they were not found and remain at large.

More, below, from today’s Arlington County police crime report.

ATTEMPTED CARJACKING, 2023-09040047, 600 block of N. Glebe Road. At approximately 5:44 a.m. on September 4, police were dispatched to the report of a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was exiting his parked vehicle when he was approached by three male suspects. The suspects instructed the victim to place his car keys on the hood of his car. The victim complied and walked away from the vehicle. The suspects fled the scene on foot after allegedly determining the vehicle was a manual transmission. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results. The suspects are described as white or Hispanic males, approximately 18-26 years old, wearing all black clothing. The investigation is ongoing.

Earlier Monday morning, police responded to an alleged incident involving an intoxicated suspect threatening a victim with a machete near Courthouse and Rocky Run Park.

From ACPD:

ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-09040035, 2300 block of 11th Street N. At approximately 3:16 a.m. on September 4, police responded to the report of a possible mental health call for service. The preliminary investigation determined the male victim was outside a residential building when he observed the male suspect walk by holding a machete. A short time later, the suspect returned and initiated a conversation with the victim, during which he allegedly brandished the machete. The victim ran and the suspect chased after him while making threatening statements. The victim was able to get to a safe location and no injuries were reported. Responding officers located the suspect in the area with the machete and took him into custody without incident. [The suspect], 33, of Arlington, Va. was arrested and charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding, Brandishing and Public Intoxication. He was held without bond.

Also in today’s crime report, police said the gunfire near the Ballston Metro station over the weekend stemmed from a dispute between two people.

SHOT FIRED, 2023-09010239, N. Stuart Street at Fairfax Drive. At approximately 8:21 p.m. on September 1, police were dispatched to the report of a possible assault with a weapon. Upon arrival, it was determined the male victim and suspect became involved in a verbal dispute during which the suspect brandished and discharged a firearm. No injuries or property damage were reported.

(Updated at 10 a.m.) A person has life-threatening injuries after a long fall in the Ballston area.

The incident happened around 7 a.m. at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Quincy Street. Police initially responded there for a trespasser climbing a rope at the construction site.

While on scene, an officer told dispatchers that the person appeared to be stuck part-way up the under-construction building and, a short time later, that they fell about eight stories to the ground below.

Firefighters rushed to the scene to treat the gravely injured person, who was at least initially reported to be a man between the ages of 30-50. Detectives were also dispatched to investigate.

The intersection was closed by police for about 2.5 hours before reopening around 9:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Fairfax Dr/N Quincy
INCIDENT: Police Department Activity
IMPACT: The intersection is closed. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/2s1v7HbsMO

— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) September 2, 2023

Yes, someone apparently fell many floors off the building under construction. As you can imagine, life-threatening injuries.

— Dave Statter (@STATter911) September 2, 2023

Someone fired gunshots across from the Ballston Metro station tonight (Friday).

Police were dispatched to the scene at Fairfax Drive and N. Stuart Street around 8:20 p.m. for a report of a shooting. They arrived and reportedly found shell casings on the street in front of the Subway restaurant but no one injured.

A lookout was broadcast for a possible suspect who fled into the Metro station, but police could not find him.

Arlington County police responded to North Stuart Street and Fairfax Drive to assist Metro Transit police investigate the sounds of gunfire near Ballston around 8:21 p.m.

Officers canvassed the Metro and found nobody shot but did find shell casings.@ARLnowDOTcom #wmata pic.twitter.com/HY59Lc4y1D

— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) September 2, 2023

Arlington County police are investigating a death in the Penrose neighborhood.

The incident was first dispatched as a fire department call for a dumpster on fire near the intersection of 2nd Street S. and S. Veitch Street. Arriving firefighters then requested police after finding a person dead on scene.

The person is preliminarily believed to have set the dumpster on fire and then jumped in, according to scanner traffic.

“At approximately 11:42 a.m. on September 1, the Arlington County Fire Department responded to the report of a dumpster fire in the 200 block of S. Veitch Street,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon extinguishing the fire, an adult female was located deceased.”

“The Arlington County Police Department is conducting a death investigation and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death,” Savage continued. “The preliminary investigation has not revealed an ongoing threat to the community. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s tip line at 703-228-4180 or [email protected] or anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477).”

Hat tip to Alan Henney. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm, call 911. You can also call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, Arlington Dept. of Human Services’ emergency services line at 703-228-5160, or CrisisLink at 703-527-4077.

A man suspected of shooting two people outside of a taco restaurant in Merrifield was arrested in Arlington.

Arlington’s SWAT team arrested the 25-year-old man Sunday night at an address a block away from Wakefield High School.

“The suspect was taken into custody without incident by members of the Arlington County SWAT team in the 5000 block of S. Chesterfield Road on the evening of August 27,” and Arlington County police spokesperson tells ARLnow.

The arrest follows a shooting outside of a restaurant located along Route 29 just inside the Beltway.

More from our sister site FFXnow:

A man from Falls Church has been arrested for allegedly firing a gun into a crowd outside Taco Baja (7716 Lee Highway) in Merrifield.

Police say their investigation indicates that Jorge Armando Melendez Gonzalez, 25, approached a group of men standing outside the restaurant early in the morning on Saturday (Aug. 26).

“During the encounter, the suspect was assaulted by one of the men and the suspect opened fire into a crowd of people who were standing in front of the business,” the Fairfax County Police Department said. “The suspect then fled the area on foot.”

Police were called to 7716 Lee Highway at 1:51 a.m. for the reported shooting, according to scanner traffic on Open MHz.

Upon arriving, officers found two adult men in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. One of the men had been shot in the arm, while the other was shot in the abdomen, the FCPD says. Both men were taken to a hospital, one of them with injuries that police initially said were life-threatening.

Police identified a third victim when Inova Fairfax Hospital called 911 at 3:39 a.m. to report that a man had walked in with a gunshot wound to the arm, according to FCPD and the police scanner.

“Officers were able to determine the victim was related to the earlier shooting,” the FCPD said. “The victim’s injuries were considered non-life threatening and he was treated and released from the hospital.”

“Jorge Armando Melendez Gonzalez has been charged with three counts of Felony Malicious Wounding and three counts of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony,” Fairfax County police said in a press release. “He is being held at the Adult Detention Center on no bond.”

“Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting,” the press release adds. “Anyone who may have information about this shooting is asked to call 703-246-7800, option 5.”

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) Three days into the school year, Wakefield High School has logged a potential student overdose.

Medics were dispatched to the school at 11:30 a.m. and again about 45 minutes later for two students suffering possible drug overdoses — or, at least, the effects of suspected narcotics — according to scanner traffic.

Later this afternoon, ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage told ARLnow that a “juvenile male was transported to an area hospital in non-life threatening condition.”

Police also responded to the school to investigate and are looking into the incident “as an apparent overdose and the investigation,” she said.

In an email, Wakefield Principal Pete Balas assured families that students were safe during the ordeal, which he described as a “medical incident” involving a student.

The full email is as follows:

Dear Families,

Emergency personnel responded to Wakefield this morning to assist with a medical incident involving a student. Fortunately, everyone is safe, and they were able to work with our staff to address the situation. At no point was the safety of any students or staff compromised.

As some of our students observed the first responders in our building, I wanted to ensure you are aware that the incident was resolved, and everyone is safe.

Sincerely,
Pete Balas,
Principal

A student died earlier this year at Wakefield from an overdose, followed by more dispatches for substance-abuse related emergencies at the school and near Washington-Liberty High School.

The student’s death, followed by a parent march and outcry for more support from teachers, prompted the Arlington School Board and administrators to act.

The school system allowed students to bring the opioid-reversal drug Narcan to school and budgeted for new deans and more substance-abuse counselors. These and other measures are part of a system-wide focus on increasing student well-being, particularly at the secondary level, this year.

Wakefield’s former principal, Chris Willmore, was promoted this spring to be the director of secondary education for Arlington Public Schools. One month later, Balas, who previously led Alexandria City High School, emerged as his replacement.

A 7-Eleven store near Shirlington was robbed early this morning by a pair of suspects, one of whom was armed.

The robbery happened shortly after 2:30 a.m. at the convenience store on the 2800 block of S. Wakefield Street, just down the hill from the Fairlington neighborhood.

A man and a woman allegedly each stole items from the store, and the man displayed a gun when a store employee tried to stop the woman from leaving, according to an Arlington County police crime report.

More from ACPD:

ROBBERY, 2023-08300027, 2800 block of S. Wakefield Street. At approximately 2:43 a.m. on August 30, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined Suspect One entered the business, collected merchandise and exited the store without payment. Suspect Two then entered the business and collected merchandise during which a store employee attempted to prevent her from leaving without payment. Suspect One, who was outside the glass door entrance, lifted his shirt, exposing a firearm and made threatening statements towards the employee. Suspect Two then exited the business with the stolen merchandise and fled the scene on foot with Suspect One. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results.

ACPD is investigating a pair of incidents this past weekend that left two people with serious injuries.

The first happened around 11 p.m. Friday on the 3500 block of Wilson Blvd in Virginia Square. That’s the same block as a 7-Eleven and a tobacco store.

According to police, a man trying to shoplift was confronted by an employee, who he then assaulted, causing serious injuries. A suspect was later located nearby and arrested.

More from an ACPD crime report:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-08250310, 3500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 11:01 p.m. on August 25, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect entered the business, collected merchandise and attempted to leave the business without payment when he was confronted by an employee. The suspect returned the merchandise and began to leave the store when he allegedly assaulted the employee, resulting in lacerations, and caused property damage to the business. The employee was able to move away from the suspect who then fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital. During the course of the investigation, the suspect was located in the area and taken into custody. During a search of his person, the suspect became combative and resisted officers. [The suspect], 33, of Burtonsville, Md. was arrested and charged with Malicious Wounding, Destruction of Property, Obstruction of Justice and Shoplifting.

On Saturday night, near the Arlington Mill Community Center along Columbia Pike, police say two male suspects beat up a victim while making threatening statements.

The victim was seriously hurt and the suspects fled the area, police said. The reason for the attack is unclear.

From ACPD:

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-08260296, 900 block of S. Dinwiddie Street. At approximately 10:47 p.m. on August 26, police were dispatched to the report of an assault with injury. Upon arrival, officers met with the reporting party who observed two unknown male suspects kick and strike the victim while making threatening statements. The reporting party then confronted the suspects who fled the scene on foot. The victim sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital. Officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results

A few kids got an early start to the school year by allegedly burglarizing Yorktown High School.

A burglar alarm alerted police to the break-in early Monday morning, just after midnight, ahead of the first day of the school year.

“Upon arrival, it was determined three juvenile suspects entered the building and were possibly still located inside,” said the latest Arlington County Police Department crime report.

“Officers established a perimeter during which two suspects exited the building,” the crime report continued. “During the course of the investigation, officers were able to make phone contact with the third suspect who subsequently exited the building. The suspects were searched and stolen property was recovered. The juvenile suspects were referred to a deferral program.”

The burglary followed another bout of back-to-school teen shenanigans last week, when a group of kids tried to abscond with Ronald McDonald from the McDonald’s at 4834 Langston Blvd. Police also arrived promptly and foiled that alleged theft attempt.