By Olivia Anderson | oanderson@alextimes.com
The Alexandria Police Department Criminal Investigations Division task force has taken major steps to combat shots fired and shooting incidents, according to a news release.
In fall of 2020, Alexandria experienced a spike in shots fired incidents, prompting APD to create the task force, consisting of detectives and investigators. According to the release, since October 2020 the task force has confiscated 39 firearms, made more than 35 arrests and executed over 195 search warrants on people, homes, phones and vehicles.
The task force recovered several ghost guns from a shootout that occurred on 28th St. in the West End on Sept. 13, 2020. Two suspects were arrested and several were wounded. According to the release, ghost guns are unregulated, privately made firearms that anyone can access without a background check because they lack commercial serial numbers.
This year, APD has confirmed a total of 18 shots fired cases from January to the end of May 2021. Five occurred in January, two in February, three in March, five in April and three in May. In 2020, there was a total of 55 shots fired incidents, 11 of which transpired over the same January to May time period last year, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, two shots fired incidents occurred in June, four in July, five in August, 11 in September, nine in October, 11 in November and two in December, according to APD.
In 2019, 18 shots fired incidents occurred between the January and May months and 19 between June and December, totaling 37 cases.
For more information, or to report a tip, visit alexandria.gov/police or call 703-746-6600.