Ayuk Etta, 40, of Lanham was standing outside a Mercedes near Route 50 when he was struck by a Honda.

The crash spilled across multiple lanes of traffic.

The 19-year-old driver of the Honda and its four passengers are expected to be OK, Maryland State Police said. Two passengers in the Mercedes were treated at a hospital and released.

Road safety experts say people should never get out of a vehicle along a stretch of road like that unless they are certain it’s safe to do so.

“If you don’t have a Jersey wall or something to get behind and you don’t feel safer outside your vehicle, sometimes staying in the vehicle is the safer option than being on foot and right close to where your vehicle is,” Maryland State Police Capt. Brian Smith said.

The state’s move over law includes all vehicles on the side of the road as of Oct. 1, 2022.

“One thing we do remind our drivers, as well, if you do become disabled, put your four-way flashers on because that will trigger the move over law for vehicles to move over if they can,” Smith said.

If they can’t, they are required to slow down.

Police believe speed contributed to the crash, which remains under investigation.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

A meals tax would be assessed on all prepared foods – including drinks sold along with them – from restaurants, cafeterias, coffee shops, food carts and ready-to-eat grocery items.

At 1%, a meals tax would generate $33 million. The top rate allowed – 6% – would mean $198 million.

Kyle Schoenberger said he opposes any sort of meals tax because he believes it could hurt the restaurant he works for and, in turn, his livelihood.

“We’ve also heard feedback from people in terms of how much they’d still go out if the tax is raised, and that would affect our income as well,” he said.

Timmy Norton of the restaurant group Great American Restaurants said he’s concerned about the impact on lower income residents who spend a bigger percentage of their budget on prepared foods.

“I don’t think this is a necessary tax, because, again, it’s a single-industry tax that is solely going to impact lower-middle class folks and working class folks the most,” he said.

In a budget committee session Tuesday, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wanted to get a fuller picture of how adding several other types of taxes might work to slightly shift the heavy reliance on property taxes.

“All we signaled was to get the information today,” Chairman Jeff McKay said.

Supervisors say a meals tax could ease the burden on property owners.

“The opportunity here is to identify what options we might have other than the residential tax rate as a way to provide for some of the critical services,” Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said.

Many Northern Virginia jurisdictions – including Arlington, Alexandria and Prince William County – already have food taxes, ranging from 3% to 5%.

If the Board does decide to move ahead with the tax, the staff recommends doing it as part of next year’s budget process, meaning a possible vote in spring 2025. If it wins approval, the earliest it could be collected would be January 2026.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Wesley Shifflett is charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a weapon in the killing of 37-year-old Timothy McCree Johnson near a busy shopping mall on Feb. 22, 2023. On Monday, authorities began selecting 12 people for the jury. Opening arguments are scheduled to begin Wednesday once officials complete jury selection.

Shifflett pleaded not guilty in the case.

Shifflett and another Fairfax County police officer chased Johnson on foot after receiving a report from security guards that Johnson had stolen sunglasses from a Nordstrom department store in Tysons Corner Center.

Police body camera footage shows the nighttime chase and shooting. Shifflett can be heard ordering Johnson to stay on the ground and later to “stop reaching.” Both officers open fire, but Shifflett fired the fatal shot.

Later, Shifflett tells another officer that he saw the suspect reaching for a weapon in his waistband. Police searched for a weapon but found nothing.

The Fairfax County Police Department fired Shifflett the following month for what Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis called “a failure to live up to the expectations of our agency, in particular use of force policies.”

Initially, a grand jury declined to indict Shifflett in the shooting, but Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano sought and received court approval for a special grand jury to reinvestigate, which he said gave prosecutors a greater ability to oversee the investigation. The second panel chose to indict Shifflett.

Descano said at the time that an involuntary manslaughter charge is appropriate when a killing occurs due to “gross or wanton conduct” that lacks malice.

Caleb Kershner, Shifflett’s attorney, blasted Descano’s decision to impanel a special grand jury and the subsequent indictment.

“Few people understand what it’s like to have a gun pulled on you and regularly being put in risk of death,” Kershner said at the time. “These men and women in uniform serve by putting their lives on the line every day.”

In recent hearings, attorneys squabbled over what evidence could be presented at trial.

Barry Zweig, the lead prosecutor, filed a motion to be allowed to introduce evidence that Shifflett had aimed his weapon at other shoplifting suspects in other instances, but Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows denied that request.

Bellows agreed to allow Shifflett’s defense team to present evidence concerning Johnson’s criminal history.

Johnson was 17 years old when he tried to steal a vehicle belonging to an off-duty agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Maryland. As he tried to flee in the vehicle, Johnson nearly hit the agent, who responded by shooting him. In 2004, Johnson pleaded guilty as a juvenile to second-degree assault.

Johnson also pleaded guilty in 2019 to involuntary manslaughter in a fatal Washington car crash while he was driving under the influence. Bellows ruled this incident would not allowed to be presented to trial jurors, a spokesperson for the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

An instructional assistant at Orange Elementary School found the gun on Monday afternoon while helping a child who arrived late take items out of their bookbag, Orange County Sheriff Jason C. Smith said in a statement posted on social media. The assistant notified administration and the school resource officer and the gun was removed from the school, Smith said.

It was determined that the 6-year-old brought the loaded Heritage Rough Rider single-action, .22-caliber “Cowboy style” revolver to school, but there’s no indication that the child intended to use the firearm, he said. No arrests have been announced in the case and Smith said the investigation was ongoing.

“This situation is very unfortunate and heartbreaking to this community,” Smith said. “We will get through this together. Situations like these remind us of how fortunate and thankful we are that nothing serious happened. Show your children lots of love and hold them tight!”

In January 2023, a 6-year-old student brought a handgun to school that he used to shoot and critically wound his first grade teacher as she taught class in Newport News, Virginia.

Officials banned swimming, wading and surfing at Assateague State Park Sunday morning after Maryland Park Service rangers found several needles and needle caps, feminine hygiene products and cigar tips along the beach, Maryland Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Gregg Bortz said in an email.

A few more needles were found Monday, and the ban on swimming in the ocean continued at the park, he said.

There have been no reports of injuries or people encountering these items while swimming, Bortz said. The department was working with other local, state, and federal agencies to determine when it’s safe for people to enter the water.

All of Assateague Island National Seashore’s ocean-facing beaches in Maryland and Virginia were closed to swimming and wading.

Maryland’s Department of Emergency Management raised its state activation level to “partial” in support of the incident.

In Ocean City, Maryland, the beach patrol temporarily banned swimming Sunday after discovering medical waste on town beaches. Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald stressed in a statement that the situation was serious and said town officials were working with the Worcester County Health Department to investigate the source.

“Until we are confident that the situation is under control, we recommend wearing shoes on the beach and avoiding the ocean entirely,” he said.

On Monday afternoon, Theobald said the amount of debris had “significantly decreased.” The town was continuing to monitor the situation, particularly as the next high tide cycles approached Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control advised beachgoers to leave the beaches from the Indian River inlet to Fenwick Island Sunday afternoon and to refrain from swimming after reports of waste washing ashore on nearby Maryland beaches, the agency said in a statement. The department confirmed only minimal waste on Delaware beaches, including plastic caps and a single needle found near Dewey Beach.

“Despite the low level of waste observed, DNREC is taking the situation seriously and advising caution,” the agency said in a statement. The department maintains Delaware’s two state park beaches, but decisions about municipal beaches are up to town officials.

Delaware’s Dewey Beach temporarily barred swimming in the ocean Sunday. In an update Monday, the town said it was continuing to address the issue. Fenwick Island officials closed the beach for swimming Sunday and said in a statement that beaches would be inspected again late Monday and on Tuesday morning before a decision would be made on reopening.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the relatives of Miguel Ángel Luna González, José Mynor López and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, described the tragedy as “deadly negligence.”

In the lawsuit, the group is asking for an amount of money that was not specified at the conference, as well as work permits to be able to “live with dignity in the United States.”

“We seek justice, not for ourselves, but for all essential immigrant workers and families. We hope that no one ever has to live a tragedy like this and that justice means preventing future tragedies,” said Carmen Luna, Miguel Luna’s wife.

The lawyer in the case, Matthew Wessler, explained that his goal is to bring transparency, focusing on the families’ requests. The lawyer added that this was not a simple accident because the ship was allegedly not in a condition to sail and that these lives were lost due to a lack of responsibility.

Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse Jul 10

Baltimore bridge collapse survivor details how he climbed onto floating concrete to await rescue

Biden Administration Jun 28

The White House wants $4 billion to rebuild Key Bridge in Baltimore and respond to other disasters

Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse May 31

Only on 4: An up-close look at the damaged ship that hit Baltimore's Key Bridge

The tragedy occurred March 26 when the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after the cargo ship Dalí hit it due to a suspected power outage on the ship. Six Hispanics were working on the bridge that fell into the cold waters of the Patapsco River.

The executive director of CASA, Gustavo Torres, also participated in Tuesday’s press conference, questioning the lack of security measures at the scene of the accident, as well as the absence of a rescue boat.

“Grace Ocean is choosing impunity over justice. Only for money and for their own interests, they are trying to eliminate their responsibility that they have with these families, but you know what? We are not going to allow it,” he said.

Through a statement sent to NBC News, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean Private Limited responded that by court order, any claim against the owner of the Dalí must be filed before Sept. 24.

The spokesperson added that, for the moment, the company will not offer any comment on these accusations.

Julio Cervantes Suárez was the only survivor of the tragedy. See his story here.

Technology and privacy researchers at Consumer Reports did some digging to find out if different chatbots could answer health-related questions accurately.

“To find out, we quizzed a handful of popular, general-purpose AI chatbots to see if their advice on health and safety topics matched that of our experts,” said Consumer Reports’ Courtney Lindwall.

Question 1: How many carbon monoxide detectors do you need?

CR says, homeowners should have a carbon monoxide detector on each level, outside each sleeping area, in the basement and near — not inside — an attached garage.

“For the most part, Google Gemini got this answer nearly right, but it erred slightly when it suggested putting a CO alarm inside an attached garage. Attached garages are usually not temperature-controlled, which can damage the alarm’s battery or sensor,” Lindwall said.

Question 2: How to filter PFAS from tap water?

Consumer Reports recommends a water filtration system with the National Sanitation Foundation certification code NSF/ANSI 53 and double-checking that the manufacturer specifically claims that its product removes PFAS.

“AI’s answer lacked key details. Using Microsoft Copilot’s advice, consumers may feel confident buying any activated carbon or reverse osmosis filter to eliminate PFAS in their water. However, not all filters of these kinds are designated for PFAS removal,” Lindwall said.

Question 3: Can kids play with water beads?

Consumer Reports says absolutely not. The popular children’s toys carry high risks if ingested, like bowel obstruction, blocked airways and infections. Water beads have also reportedly led to deaths and thousands of emergency room visits, Lindwall said.

“AI’s answer was dangerous and inconsistent. Meta AI failed to highlight the significant safety risks of water beads, aside from a passing reference to a need for parental supervision,” she said.

Consumer Reports said it’s okay to use AI as a starting point, but it’s important to always check the source material.

It also doesn’t hurt to ask questions more than once and compare answers.

In a hearing Tuesday, the Council voted to reorganize the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs, which White had chaired, splitting it into two subcommittees to be overseen by other councilmembers. This now leaves White without a committee chairmanship.

White, the Ward 8 councilmember, still will be allowed to vote on legislation and other Council matters.

The council voted unanimously with White voting “present” on the matter. There was no public debate or discussion on the vote.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first time the D.C. Council has met since White was arrested and charged with taking a bribe to steer government contracts. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The D.C. Council has hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation of White, which will cost D.C. taxpayers $400,000, an official told News4.

DC Council Sep 12

DC Council member Trayon White pleads not guilty to federal bribery charge

News4 I-Team Aug 29

Internal DC review halts violence interruption contract renewals after Trayon White arrest

However, White’s colleagues on the Council voted to close their discussion of the investigation to the public. News4’s Mark Segraves was one of the reporters forced to leave the meeting.

By law, Council meetings are open to the public, but just a few minutes after starting, the members voted to close the meeting to the public while they discussed their investigation into their colleague.

“We have to close the doors to the public because we’re discussing a sensitive personnel matter and an ongoing investigation,” Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said. “As experienced as you are, Mark, you know that it’s important to preserve the integrity of an investigation, and as it’s just beginning, there’s certain things that we have to discuss that are not yet for public domain, and we intend fully to be transparent.”

McDuffie is heading the ad hoc committee that will decide what discipline, if any, to recommend the Council impose on White, including the possibility of removing him from office.

“We have to do what’s in the best interest of the public while holding our colleague accountable,” McDuffie said. “That is exactly what I intend to do, conduct a thorough, independent investigation.”

McDuffie told reporters the Council has engaged a private law firm to conduct the investigation.

When asked about the cost of the law firm’s fee, McDuffie responded: “I can tell you it’s $400,000.”

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has said the independent investigation will look into both the bribery charge and also whether White actually lives in Ward 8, as required by law. White was arrested in Ward 6, where he was living, according to prosecutors.

White did not show up in person for Tuesday’s Council hearing but did participate in the Council’s breakfast meeting and hearing virtually.

The council voted unanimously to reorganize White’s committee, with White voting “present” on the matter. There was no public debate or discussion on that vote.

Mendelson says the findings of the independent investigation will determine whether the D.C. Council votes to remove White from the Council entirely. That investigation will take months, and any vote to remove White would not come until early next year, Mendelson said, meaning White can continue to vote on legislation in the meantime.

“However one feels about the indictment – and I certainly think the charges are very serious and damning – however one feels, the reality is that the voters elected him,” Mendelson said. “He is an elected member, and the only way to stop that is to expel him.”

“I’m relatively confident that the Council will dispose of this matter no later than the beginning of the new year,” he said.

The officer was hit by a vehicle in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, in the Congress Heights area, police said at about 2:40 p.m. Tuesday.

The officer was conscious and breathing, police said. No information on the extent of the officer’s injuries was immediately released.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Police were searching for the suspect and vehicle. News4 video shows several officers in the block on a rainy afternoon.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

The young tan and white dog, described as a “pit bull-type,” strayed from her home near Eli Place Southeast on Wednesday, Sept. 11. When Louisa showed up at home two days later, her owners saw she was shot between the eyes, the Humane Rescue Alliance said.

An X-ray at an emergency veterinary hospital revealed that a bullet was lodged in Louisa’s neck. Humane law enforcement officers then met with the family and took the dog to another emergency hospital to do more advanced testing and determine the scope of her injuries, the HRA said.

Veterinarians believe the bullet entered between her eyes, grazed her tongue, traveled through her throat and then ended up in her neck. More imaging revealed Louisa had multiple facial fractures and the dog’s throat was swollen, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The veterinarians were able to remove the bullet without doing surgery and they treated the abcess in her throat, the HRA said.

“It is miraculous that this dog was able to survive a gunshot wound to the face without suffering a more serious injury,” said Chris Schindler, senior vice president of Animal Welfare, Field Response and Rescue at the Humane Rescue Alliance. “We are determined to find out who is responsible for this act of alleged animal cruelty, and we need the community’s help.”

The HRA is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Officers are looking for anyone who may have heard gunshots, saw Louisa or noticed anything unusual in the area of 3300 block of Eli Place SE from Wednesday, Sept. 11 to Friday, Sept. 13. Anyone with information can call 202-723-5730, option 3.

Veterinarians are monitoring Louisa, and she’s expected to make a full recovery. HRA said she’ll be reunited with her family soon.

Fall season is here so it’s time to pull out boots and jackets to really set the cozy mood.

As the leaves turn orange and prepare to fall from the trees, now is the perfect time to pick some apples, get lost in a corn maze or pick out the perfect pumpkin for decorating or baking!

Here are some fall festivals to check out in Virginia and Maryland.

Maryland corn mazes, pumpkin patches and apple picking

Maryland Corn Maze: Taylor’s Version

📅 Sept. 14 through Nov. 3
📍 389 Gambrills Road, Gambrills, Maryland
💲 $17.95
🔗 Details

Maryland Corn Maze (Taylor’s Version) is open for all Swifties and non-Swifties alike!

Can’t get enough of Taylor? Visit the maze on Oct. 2 to listen to singer Kanin Wren’s Taylor Swift Experience live concert.

Answer Swift-themed quiz questions to find your way out of the maze. Don’t miss out on the Flashlight Nights if you want a challenge.

Pick your own pumpkins and explore the farm yard complete with a bounceyard, rodeo roping area and slingshots.

Gaver Farm Fall Fun Fest

📅 Through Nov. 5 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily)
📍 5501 Detrick Rd Mt. Airy, Maryland
💲 $14.50-$23 (Kids under 24 months are free)
🔗 Details

Gaver Farm has all of your fall fun needs. From sunflowers to pumpkins to apples — there’s just about everything for everyone.

This family-friendly affair offers over 65 attractions including the “Fun to the Core” Corn Maze, animal meet-and-greets, a zipline and pedal karts.

Guests can pick their own pumpkins, apples and sunflowers after riding a free hayride out to the fields. Don’t miss out on the sunflowers — the farm expects blooms through Sept. 22! The farm provides all the tools needed to make picking seamless.

Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival

📅 Sept. 21 through Nov. 3
📍 22222 Davis Mill Road Germantown, Maryland
💲 $11-$22 (Make a reservation ahead of time to avoid higher prices)
🔗 Details

The Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival is bigger and better than ever!

Hunting for the perfect pumpkin? This year, guests have three options. You can drive to the pumpkin patch for the classic picking experience, get a pumpkin at the festival’s market or visit the Pumpkin Yard to get pre-picked pumpkins.

You aren’t just limited to picking your own pumpkin. Once you purchase a ticket, you can take hayrides, visit some backyard buddies, turn through the Twisted Corn Maze and jump in the Corn Pool.

Magnolia Meadow Farms

📅 Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 27
📍13001 Creagerstown Road, Thurmont, Maryland
💲 $15 (online)/$20 (walk-in)
🔗 Details

Magnolia Meadow Farms says it is home to Maryland’s largest corn maze along with family-friendly activities like mini ziplines and a barrel train.

Don’t miss out on Moonlit Maze Nights on Oct. 5 and Oct. 26 where you can try out the corn maze under the stars for a good cause.

If you don’t want to stick to just pumpkins, you’re in luck! You can wander into three different fields to have your pick at sunflowers, pumpkins, gourds or cut flowers.

If you tire out from the fun, private campfires are available on-site. Reserve a campfire in case you want to get your own views of the farm away from the crowds.

Montpelier Farms Fall Festival

📅 Sept. 13-Nov. 3
📍 1720 North Crain Hwy, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
💲 $19.95 in advance/$24.95 at the gate
🔗 Details

Spend all day at the Montpelier Farms Fall Festival with its 7-acre corn maze, Barnyard Basketball and other fall activities. Try your hand at pumpkin bowling or tug of war. When it gets chilly at night, cuddle up by the public bonfire with loved ones.

If you want to pick your own pumpkins, you can visit the patch without purchasing a ticket to the festival — just pick your favorite (or favorites) and buy it there!

Virginia corn mazes, pumpkin patches and apple picking

Cox Farms Fall Festival

📅 Sept. 14 through Nov. 5
📍 15621 Braddock Rd., Centreville, Virginia
💲 $10-$25
🔗 Details

Cox Farms has just about everything you can think of when it comes to fall fun. The Fall Festival is a family-fun affair and there are many activities that you can choose from. You can ride the hayride, visit several attractions like themed slides, taste different apples and feed goats.

If you’re looking for a corn maze filled with surprises, the Cornundrum is just for you. Wind through the maze and you’ll come across pirates, caves and the Vortex!

The fun doesn’t stop there. Go back for spooky scares at their Fields of Fear starting on Sept. 20.

Great County Farms

📅 Aug. 31 through Sept. 30
📍 34345 Snickersville Turnpike, Bluemont, Virginia
💲 $12-$16 (advance tickets are highly recommended for weekends)
🔗 Details

If you’re looking for fresh pressed cider, apple picking and a fun corn maze, Great County Farms is for you!

You can visit the apple orchard, get lost in their 15-acre corn maze and the 15-acre play area that features the Farm Ninja Obstacle Course.

On weekends, guests can enjoy perfect fall activities like live music and visiting a snack bar complete with kettle corn and roasting marshmallows. You can even learn how to learn to press a bushel of apples!

Want to beat the weekend crowds? No worries! Guests can visit the farm during the week along with the weekend.

Wayside Farm

📅 Sept. 21 through Oct. 27
📍 5273 Harry Byrd Highway, Berryville, Virginia
💲 $17-$25 (Depending on ticket type)
🔗 Details

With great power comes great responsibility, and if you have great navigation skills, you can use that power to guide your group out of Wayside Farm’s Spiderman-themed corn maze! Make sure not to get lost in the mazeverse.

There are plenty of fun activities to choose from, including pig races and pumpkin smashing. If you’re interested in the pumpkin patch, reserve a spot in advance. The ticket will cover the first $20 worth of pumpkins.

Leesburg Animal Park’s Pumpkin Village

📅 Sept. 21 through Nov. 5 (closed on Tuesdays)
📍 19246 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg, Virginia
💲 $18.95-$22.25 (weekend tickets must be purchased in advance)
🔗 Details

If you love the zoo and autumn equally, Leesburg Animal Park’s Pumpkin Village might be the place for you. There’s a whole bunch of family-friendly activities to enjoy such as a kiddie hay maze, animal petting and feeding and pony rides (for an extra fee).

Up the fun factor on the weekends and Columbus Day with live entertainment, face painting, free cider, apple and pumpkin cookie tasting.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

The National Zoo is in the midst of a campaign to raise $25 million for its giant panda program, with the goal of funding it through 2035. The funds will go toward panda research and to “innovate new techniques” for keeping pandas healthy and conserving the species and its habitats in the wild, the zoo said.

On Tuesday, the zoo announced that Rubenstein, billionaire co-founder and co-chair of the Carlyle Group, pledged $10 million to that campaign.

Rubenstein — whose name may be familiar to National Zoo visitors who see it emblazoned above the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat — has now donated a total of $22 million to support the zoo’s giant panda program.

“David Rubenstein’s long-term support has transformed our giant panda program and, in turn, the future of this magnificent species and its native habitat,” Brandie Smith, zoo director, said in a press release about the donation. “David understands the work to save giant pandas is larger than one person, one organization or one nation. We are deeply appreciative of his commitment to preserving biodiversity.”

The new donation comes as the National Zoo prepares for a new pair of pandas to make their home in D.C.

The zoo hasn’t announced a specific date for the pandas’ arrival, but has said that they will be here before the end of the year. The buzz is growing as new billboards and a specially dedicated webpage pop up around the District.

The new pandas, male Bao Li and female Qing Bao, will live in D.C. for at least 10 years after their arrival, according to a 10-year cooperative giant panda research and breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Both are 3 years old.

If you’ve been in D.C. for awhile, you might recognize the name of Bao Li’s mother: Bao Bao, who was born at the National Zoo in 2013. She moved to China after she was grown, and gave birth to Bao Li there.

National Zoo May 29

Pandas to return to DC's National Zoo

National Zoo May 29

Chinese ambassador reveals details on new pandas headed to DC

San Diego Zoo Jul 9

San Diego Zoo shares 1st look at pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in their new habitat

Medics evaluated 24 students and four adults, and they required no further medical attention, DC Fire and EMS said. One adult was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

Cleveland Elementary School, on 8th Street NW in the Shaw area, was evacuated because of what school officials initially called “an unknown odor.”

DC Fire and EMS were called to the school shortly after 10:30 a.m. after several people reportedly felt sick.

News4 video shows students and staff members being evacuated to the parking lot of a nearby church. Students were dismissed to their families, DC Public Schools said.

A hazmat crew responded to determine the source of the stench. Large fans could be seen at an entrance to the building.

The source of the odor was asphalt work at an “adjacent construction site,” DC Fire and EMS concluded.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

No hazardous meter readings were found, according to the department.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, students must turn off their phones and keep them stored away all day, including during lunch and between class periods, according to the guidance the Virginia Department of Education released Tuesday.

“This guidance will ensure K-12 Virginia students have a distraction-free environment to focus on learning and reduce the alarming mental health crisis and chronic health conditions from cell phones and social media affecting Virginia students,” the education department said in a release on Tuesday.

How does the cellphone ban differ for Virginia elementary, middle and high schools?

In terms of age-appropriate restrictions, the policy varies for elementary and secondary public schools.

• Elementary: If a parent determines an elementary student needs to take a cellphone or personal electronic communication device to school, it must be stored, off and away from the student during the school day. Students can’t use them on school grounds before or after school.
• Middle school students should not have easily available cellphones or personal electronic communication devices during the bell-to-bell school day. School systems should create local policies to determine whether or not students can use phones and devices on school property before and after school.
• High school students should not have easily accessible cellphones or personal electronic communication devices during the bell-to-bell school day. Students may use their cellphones on school grounds before and after school.

The “bell-to-bell” definition of cellphone-free education was also part of the draft guidance the VDOE put out in August.

Montgomery County Public Schools Aug 28

MCPS tests ‘all day away' cellphone restrictions

Schools Aug 25

Schools are competing with cellphones. Here's how they think they could win

Technology Aug 19

New cellphone policy affects over 30 Prince William County schools

Where will students put their cellphones during the day?

While the VDOE said students cannot have their cellphones “on their person” during the bell-to-bell school day, including in their pockets, it’s up to school districts to decide how and where to store the cellphones.

School districts might allow students to store their phones in backpacks, lockers, locked pouches or in a designated place in the classroom, among other options, the VDOE said.

Some local districts have already put their own restrictions into place. In Fairfax County, schools are using magnetic pouches to keep kids off their phones.

Are there any exemptions to Virginia’s school cellphone ban? What about emergencies?

The education department said it received thousands of public comments and feedback before finalizing the policy.

Parents of children with medical needs, particularly those who use apps for health monitoring, voiced their concerns. The VDOE said those students can get a medical exemption to the bell-to-bell policy included in their Individualized Education Plan, 504 plan and/or individualized health care plans.

Many parents also said in their feedback to the state they were concerned about how to reach their children during emergencies.

“It became very apparent there are general gaps in parent, teacher and school communication resulting in parents feeling like they must communicate directly with their child for both emergency and non-emergency situations,” the VDOE said. “Specifically, concerns focused on the ability for a parent to contact their child in a school-based emergency including during or immediately after lockdowns.”

In cases of emergencies, the VDOE’s guidance states that local school districts must come up with plans to communicate directly with parents and establish reunification plans for children and parents.

School divisions must also publicly share how staff are trained to manage crisis and emergency situations, re-unification plans and the family notification process during crisis situations. Read here for more about the guidance for how schools should handle emergencies.

What’s next for Virginia’s school cellphone ban?

The state education department is set to release an “administrator’s toolkit” on Thursday to help school leaders implement their cellphone policies, and districts must adopt and implement policies that align with the state’s “bell-to-bell” guidance by Jan. 1, 2025.

State education officials plan to review the guidance at the end of the school year to consider ways to refine and improve it, the VDOE said.

Go here to read the VDOE’s complete guidance for cellphone-free education.

Virginia voters will be able to cast their ballots starting that day at their local registrar’s office. You can find yours here.

Then, voter registration offices will be open for early voting from Saturday, Oct. 26 through Saturday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m.

The 2024 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls will be open that day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you will be able to vote.

2024 Virginia voter registration info:

You can register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot online using Virginia’s Citizen Portal. The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration is Oct. 15. You may still register after this date, though, and vote using a provisional ballot.

If you think you’re already registered but want to make sure, you can do that online here.

Same-day voter registration is also available.

Requesting a mail-in ballot in Virginia:

The deadline to request a ballot by mail is Oct. 25. Your request must be received by your local voter registration office by 5 p.m. that day.

Here are your options for submitting your completed mail-in ballot:

• Bring it to your local general registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
• Bring it to a drop-off location. (Check the instructions provided in your absentee ballot mailing for the locations.)
• Return it by mail. Your filled-out ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 5) and received by your general registrar’s office by noon on the third day after the election.

Virginia voter ID rules:

Voters may provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls. Here’s a detailed list of other acceptable IDs. Note that you can use a DMV license at any time, even if it’s expired.

Abortion Sep 1

The 10 states where abortion rights will be on the ballot this fall

politics Aug 29

Act fast, be curious when a loved one moves toward political extremism, experts say

Who’s on the ballot in my area?

In addition to the presidential race, Virginia voters will be selecting their choice for one U.S. Senate seat and their U.S. House representative. If you’re not sure what congressional district you live in, you can check on that here.

There are also many local races. Look up candidate lists for your jurisdiction here.

Election Day 2024:

The 2024 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls that day will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you will be able to vote.

You can find your Election Day polling place here. 

Same-day voter registration is available in Virginia. Here’s info on that.

Millions of people can’t vote every year because they don’t register in time, update their registration or know how to register, according to the National Voter Registration Day website.

In just a few minutes, you can register to vote or make sure your registration is up to date with your current name, address and party affiliation.

With just seven weeks to go before the 2024 election, here’s how to make sure you’re ready to vote.

Find information for your state below. You can also use National Voter Registration Day’s online tool.

When is the 2024 election?

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Washington D.C. voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration online is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day. Make sure you bring proof of residence, such as a utility bill, lease, pay stub, bank statement or government-issued photo ID.

Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 28 through Sunday, Nov. 3.

Maryland voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration online is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day. Make sure you bring proof of residence, such as a utility bill, paycheck, bank statement or government-issued photo ID.

Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 24 to Thursday, Oct. 31.

Virginia voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration online is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day. If you register during early voting or on Election Day, you will vote using a provisional ballot. Bring an acceptable form of ID. If you don’t bring an acceptable ID, you can instead sign an ID Confirmation Statement.

Same-day registration is a somewhat new option for Virginia voters; the General Assembly approved same-day registration ahead of the 2022 election.

Early voting runs from Sept. 20 to Nov. 2.

West Virginia voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Make sure to meet the deadline; same-day voter registration is not available, according to Rock the Vote.

Early voting in-person runs from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2, 2024.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

Ward 8 Council member White pleaded not guilty last week to taking a bribe to help steer government contracts.

Now, the D.C. Council will vote on reorganizing the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs – splitting it into two subcommittees overseen by other council members, leaving White without a committee chairmanship.

“That will be before the Council tomorrow as a resolution, and I’m not expecting that there will be, I don’t see much debate about that,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said. “I think the Council members are supportive.”

Mendelson said the Council will hire an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the bribery charge and whether White actually lives in Ward 8 as required by law. White was arrested in Ward 6, where he was living according to prosecutors.

Mendelson said those findings will determine whether the Council votes to remove him or not. That investigation will take months, and any vote to remove White would not come until early next year, Mendelson said, meaning White can continue to vote on legislation in the meantime.

“However one feels about the indictment – and I certainly think the charges are very serious and damning – however one feels, the reality is that the voters elected him,” Mendelson said. “He is an elected member, and the only way to stop that is to expel him.”

“I’m relatively confident that the Council will dispose of this matter no later than the beginning of the new year,” he said.

DC Council Sep 12

DC Council member Trayon White pleads not guilty to federal bribery charge

DC Council Sep 6

DC Council member Trayon White indicted on federal bribery charge

News4 I-Team Aug 29

Internal DC review halts violence interruption contract renewals after Trayon White arrest

White also will remain on the general election ballot in November.

On Monday, Mayor Muriel Bowser said she would not be endorsing any candidate in the Ward 8 race.

Tuesday morning will be the first D.C. Council meeting since White was arrested. It’s unknown if White will attend or vote on the fate of his committee chairmanship.

Here’s what federal prosecutors say Trayon White did

Federal prosecutors say White agreed starting in June to accept $156,000 in bribes in exchange for using his position to pressure government employees to extend violence intervention contracts worth $5.2 million.

He’s accused of accepting envelopes full of cash as he was caught on a hidden camera. Here’s how the FBI broke down the payments:

• June 26: $15,000 cash received
• July 17: $5,000 cash received
• July 25: $10,000 cash received
• Aug. 9: $5,000 cash received

Images included in court documents show what prosecutors say is White receiving envelopes stuffed with cash.

An FBI informant who operated businesses that contracted with the D.C. government agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of an agreement to plead guilty to bribery and bank fraud charges. Several conversations between White and the informant were recorded in a parked car wired for video and audio, including outside White’s home, prosecutors say.

At one meeting, White and the informant discussed contracts the informant had with ONSE. The informant asked White if the contracts would be renewed and said he had $15,000 cash.

Initially, White asked, “What you need me to do, man? I don’t, I don’t wanna feel like you gotta gimme something to get something. We better than that.”

Then he tucked the envelope with the cash into his jacket pocket, prosecutors say.

White is due back in court in mid November for a status hearing. A trial isn’t expected to begin until sometime next year.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

“They sound awful, like ‘Ooop!’” she recently told the I-Team, trying to mimic the sound her car makes as she navigates potholes on the street outside her home in Capitol Heights.

Stewart said she and neighbors have complained about the street for years.

“They won’t fix it,” Stewart said.

A neighbor showed the I-Team a December 2022 letter from the Office of the County Executive telling them, “Staff is investigating your street to identify the potholes you describe,” adding they will “address immediate pothole issues.”

Nearly two years later, any fixes made in the interim have not held up. The street remains in rough condition.

Via 311, the county has received 22 service call requests for Carmody Hill Drive since mid-February 2022. These include calls related to potholes and issues such as illegal dumping and roadway emergencies. Eighteen calls were closed or resolved and four open tickets remain, the county said.

Theodore Flythe, who lives just doors away from Stewart, told the I-Team the street has never looked any better “since I lived here.” He moved onto Carmody Hills Drive 33 years ago, in 1991.

It’s likely not the worst road in Maryland, and maybe not the worst road you drive on, but it’s their road, and after years of complaining, they want it fixed.

“As soon as possible would be fine with me,” Flythe said.

But that won’t happen anytime soon.

What Prince George’s County says about road repairs

“You know, it’s going to take a couple of fiscal years, two or three fiscal years, for us to be able to get our own to some of the streets,” Prince George’s County Director of Public Works Michael Johnson told us.

Every road in the county gets a score through Prince George’s Pavement Assessment & Management System. The residents’ stretch of Carmody Hills Drive got 17.56 points. A perfectly paved road would get 100 points.

The scores are initially determined by a scan of the roads using a camera and a laser-equipped van every five to 10 years. They are updated by an algorithm in the interim.

The I-Team checked all 2,000 miles of Prince George’s County’s roads. We found at least 47 roads rated worse than Carmody Hills Drive. When we shared that list with Johnson and his team, he told us just one of those 47 roads are currently planned for repair.

“The listing that you looked at was really just a very small micro-sample of the total roads. It’s like 6.3 miles of the more than 2,000 miles that we’re operating,” Johnson told us. The I-Team examined every road in the county, but asked Public Works about those that scored lower than Carmody Hills Drive on the county’s assessment program.

Budget figures show the Prince George’s County Paving and Pothole Repair Program has roughly the same amount of money it did in 2019, with just a 3.7% increase. In the interim, the budget had increased, but the county was not able to sustain the higher level.

Johnson said the county has enough money to pave 48 miles of road a year. It costs $750,000 to pave every mile of road. Johnson said the new system is about equity across the county, which means they don’t necessarily tackle the worst roads first.

“Worst first will actually produce – be very expensive to do and will give us a lower overall performance.”

Prince George’s County’s county-wide average road condition has improved since Johnson took over. That’s his stated goal. It’s not up by much, but according to department statistics, the trend is going the right way. Under their system, however, if you live on one of those bad roads, you may have to wait for improvements.

Johnson said any underground utility repairs must be completed before a road can be repaved. And that, Johnson said, is the case on Carmody Hills Drive.

When picking other roads, Johnson said the county spends money fixing a mix of streets already in bad condition and preventing OK roads form getting worse.

The county lists all of its planned repairs for this year here.

‘I don’t think it’s working’

That’s not fast enough for Councilmember Kristal Oriadha, who represents the Capitol Heights neighborhood we visited.

“There is no excuse that I’ve heard in any committee hearing that makes sense to me, because even if you can’t repave the entire road, we should have a better system to actually repair it,” Oriadha told the I-Team.

Council members used to have more input on paving decisions. They don’t under a new system. It may make sense in an algorithm or a budget book, but it is a tough sell on the street.

“I don’t think it’s working. I don’t see that showing up in my community,” Oriadha said.

Flythe, one of the residents, said, “I think we deserve to get to it, for it to be fixed, actually.”

And as she surveyed the divots, Stewart, another resident, shook her head.

“I deserve a nice street,” she told the I-Team.

Go here to see Prince George’s County road conditions.

The report – “Bias at the Core? Enduring Racial Disparities in D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Stop-and-Frisk Practices” – accuses the department of discriminatory practices, saying Black people in the District are overwhelmingly more likely to be searched.

As part of a D.C. law passed in 2016, the Metropolitan Police Department is required to collect data around how often it conducts stop-and-frisk searches. This is the third time the ACLU-DC has analyzed that data, which it says shows D.C. police is moving in the wrong direction on this and the searches do more harm than good for both police and the community.

“There is a power dynamic at play, even if you know you weren’t doing anything at all. The fact that a police officer is approaching you can be very nerve-racking,” said ACLU-DC Policy Advocacy Director Scarlett Aldebot.

According to the report, in 2022, 68,244 people were stopped, resulting in less than 1% of guns being seized.

Last year, there was an increase, with 68,561 people stopped and searched with 1.2% ending with a gun recovery.

“When you really look at the harm of the practice on an individual and on communities and you look at what we’re actually generating from those stops, we find that that doesn’t outweigh the rationale for these stops or the manner in which they’re being conducted,” Aldebot told the I-Team.

The report found that most of the stops occurred in D.C.’s predominantly Black Wards of 7 and 8, although the practice happens throughout the city.

According to the data, Black people were stopped more than anyone. “We are at a place where I think we could call it a pattern. It’s pretty egregious,” said Aldebot.

In 2023, Black people made up 44% of the city’s population, but accounted for 70.6% of stops. White people represented almost 40%, with less than 12% of stops. Hispanic people made up 7.3% of stops, while making up 11.5% of the population.

“If you really want to think of that, just kind of in a in a patterned way, that is one Black person stopped every ten minutes for those two years,” said Aldebot.

“Twenty-three percent of the stops, or close to 16,000 of them, resulted in an arrest,” a D.C. police spokesperson told News4.

It’s unclear how many of those ended with a conviction.

Monday night, a D.C. police spokesperson responded to the ACLU report, telling the I-Team:

“The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) continues its commitment to transparency by publishing comprehensive stop data twice a year, which supports the work of partners such as the ACLU in studying this data. However, it would be helpful for the public if descriptions about the data were also transparent. For example, whereas the ACLU gives the impression that all of the 68,940 stops in 2023 were “stops and frisks,” this is not at all accurate. Of the almost 69,000 stops, only 4,471 (less than 7%) included a protective pat down, sometimes called a frisk. Only 1% include a consent search. More broadly:

• The stops had a clear purpose. Almost 4 of every 5 stops resulted in enforcement action, either a ticket (58%) or an arrest (23%). The rest ended with investigation or other public safety response, such as mediating a dispute, educating a violator, or referral to services.
• The stops included many people traveling in or through the District. Sixty percent of the stops were traffic stops. Only 30% of the vehicles stopped and issued tickets for traffic violations were registered in the District; 70% were registered in another state.
• Most stops were resolved without any physical contact between the officer and the person stopped or his or her property. Only 10% of stops involved a protective pat down or a pre-arrest search of either a person or property.
• MPD stops play a vital role in supporting Vision Zero and making our streets safe for all users. Fifty-eight percent of all stops result in a ticket. Of these, almost one-third of the tickets were warning tickets. Eleven percent of arrests include a charge for a criminal traffic violation.
• Most stops are for traffic violations and have nothing to do with gun or gun crimes, but some stops help remove a significant number of guns from our neighborhoods. In 2023,MPD officers were able to remove 2,057 guns—64% of all guns recovered—from DC streets as a result of police stops.^[1]
• Most stops are brief. More than three out of four were resolved in about 15 minutes; 86% lasted 30 minutes or less.

The Department is committed to fair, professional, and constitutional policing in all aspects of its work as it strives to safeguard people and property in the District of Columbia. The Department works continuously to strengthen its service to the city. In the past year, the Department has focused on providing updated and comprehensive training for all its officers on the Fourth Amendment, including 10 hours of online and classroom training developed in partnership with the US Attorney for the District of Columbia. The Department is also supporting an independent study on Equity in Traffic Stops conducted by the University of Connecticut Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy. Researchers regularly stress that disparities, in and of themselves, are not sufficient evidence of racial profiling. We expect this study to be available in Fiscal Year 2025.

 ^[1] The stop data only indicates that one or more guns was recovered. It does not indicate how many guns were recovered. This comes from another data system.“

The ACLU-DC argues the practice is ineffective and has a chilling effect that harms police relations with the community.

“Communities are less likely to call the police when there is something harmful going on – even if they themselves are experiencing a harm – because of that lack of trust that bias policing can engender in people,” said Aldebot. “We have to really ask ourselves what practices are making us safer and which practices are not.”

Reported by Tracee Wilkins, produced by Rick Yarborough, shot by BJ Forte and edited by Steve Jones.

A jury indicted a Fairfax County, Virginia, man Monday in connection to the slayings of his wife and another man in an alleged plot with the couple’s au pair.

The latest development in a complex case comes more than a year and a half after the victims were found dead in a Herndon home in February 2023. Christine Banfield, 37, was found stabbed several times in the couple’s bedroom, while 39-year-old Joseph Ryan was shot.

The family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, was charged in Ryan’s death almost a year ago. But Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said as the investigation progressed, “It’s my expectation that we will eventually be able to hold more than just one person accountable for this crime.”

In the wake of the killings, Brendan Banfield and Peres Magalhaes told police they had gone into a second-floor room and found that Ryan had attacked Christine, leaving her seriously wounded. They said Brendan grabbed a gun and shot the alleged intruder and then told Peres Magalhaes to get another gun so they could shoot him again.

The shocking scene was described to detectives as an act of defense. Prosecutors, however, have said evidence pointed to a very different story.

Banfield, 39, is charged with four counts of aggravated murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He’s being held without bond.

“The evidence exists in abundance to give us probable cause to bring these charges forward,” Chief Davis said. “It’s digital evidence, it’s physical evidence, it’s forensics evidence, it’s circumstantial evidence. The detectives, the prosecutors have worked meticulously to ensure that every T is crossed, every I is dotted, but the work still goes on.”

A double killing

Around 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2023, Peres Magalhaes, a Brazilian national who lived with the family, left the house with the Banfields’ 4-year-old daughter, according to detectives. Peres Magalhaes told police she doubled back to the home because she forgot to grab their packed lunches. She said she saw a car there she didn’t recognize.

She called Christine, but when she didn’t answer, Peres Magalhaes called Brendan, who quickly returned home, authorities said. Minutes later, the husband and au pair entered the home with the little girl. Brendan then went upstairs to the bedroom, where he says he found his wife and Ryan.

Detectives say the two claimed Ryan had attacked Christine, prompting Brendan — a law enforcement officer for the Internal Revenue Service — to fire his gun at Ryan.

Ryan had no obvious connection to the family or to the home. But as detectives began probing how he supposedly found Christine, their case and the witness statements started to diverge.

A fetish site used as a lure?

A search of a computer in the Banfields’ home led detectives to a fetish sex website, prosecutors have said. The site catered to sexual fantasies involving kinks, BDSM and more.

Detectives found a profile for Christine and communications between her profile and Ryan, but authorities said something didn’t add up. They said the way Christine talked to Ryan in their messages was very different than how friends and family described her.

Police believe someone else was communicating with Ryan while pretending to be Christine and scheduled a meetup at the family’s home for that day.

Almost eight months after the killings, Fairfax County authorities arrested Peres Magalhaes and charged her with second-degree murder in Ryan’s death.

“I suspected from the very beginning — and I went to the scene of that double murder — that there was going to be a lot of twist and turns to this investigation. The twists and turns are still on going,” Davis said as the investigation progressed.

An unproven theory

At a hearing in April, prosecutors said they believed Brendan Banfield and Peres Magalhaes were having an affair. They stopped short of saying they believe the pair hatched a plan to get Christine out of the picture.

But they grilled Banfield about the events leading up to his wife’s death.

Prosecutors said evidence they presented at that April hearing showed Banfield and the au pair went to a shooting range together a couple of months before the murders. Then, the month before the killings, Banfield returned and bought a gun there, authorities said.

The au pair told detectives Banfield shot Ryan first, but he was still alive. She said Banfield told her to get the gun that he’d bought at the shooting range to shoot Ryan again, according to detectives. She told police she did.

Detectives also said Banfield and Peres Magalhaes swapped out their phones for new ones in the days before the attack.

Prior to Peres Magalhaes’ October arrest, detectives returned to the home.

Inside the bedroom Banfield had shared with his wife — the room where Christine and Ryan were killed — picture frames were filled with photos of Brendan Banfield and the au pair.

Prosecutors say the au pair’s lingerie was found around the room. They described her as Banfield’s “girlfriend” and “live-in lover.”

The prosecution’s theory is that the killings were part of an elaborate plan so Brendan Banfield and Peres Magalhaes could live their lives without Christine. While the au pair has denied an affair, prosecutors argued in April that the pictures on the nightstand suggested otherwise.

On the witness stand in April, Brendan Banfield largely invoked his Fifth Amendment right to decline answering pointed questions from prosecutors about the events leading up to the killings.

Crime and Courts Oct 23, 2023

Mother of Brazilian au pair charged in Fairfax County killing says she wants answers

Crime and Courts Oct 19, 2023

Au pair charged in killing at Northern Virginia home

Fairfax County General Court Judge Michael J. Lindner called him an “adverse witness” but also said it appeared prosecutors “may be playing two prospective defendants against each other.”

In a foreshadowing of defense arguments that could be laid out at trial, Peres Magalhaes’ attorney, Ryan Campbell, attempted to cast doubt on who fired the shot that killed Ryan. And he decried prosecutors’ decision to call Brendan Banfield to the stand, saying in April: “It’s been clear from the beginning [Banfield is] the target of the investigation.”

Justin Robinson, 26, worked as a violence interrupter in the District.

Police say he was sitting unresponsive in a car with a gun outside the McDonald’s on Marion Barry Avenue SE prior to the shooting. His death sparked protests in the District after police’s body-worn camera video was released.

Robinson’s family members, along with their legal team stood, in front of the DOJ building in downtown D.C. on Monday, calling on the department to open a civil investigation into the deadly police shooting.

“When Justin’s life was taken away, so many opportunities were taken away. So many hearts are broken,” his sister, Tralicia Robinson, said.

Body-camera video released by D.C. police shows officers approach Robinson’s car on Sept. 1. They had their guns drawn, and one of the officers was carrying a ballistic shield.

Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD) Sep 10

Family calls for justice after DC man is shot by police

Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD) Sep 3

DC violence interrupter shot and killed by police in Southeast

Then, it appears that Robinson started to wake up. Police say Robinson had a gun in his lap and reached for one of the officers’ guns. One officer fired 10 times; another officer fired once.

Lawyers for the family argue that more should have been done by police to try to de-escalate the situation.

“If this was a young man with blonde hair and a much lighter skin hue in a McDonald’s drive-through in Georgetown, with a Georgetown hoodie on and a Prius with Virginia license plates, they would have mediated,” family attorney Jade E. Mathis said. “They would have mediated.”

Holding back tears, Robinson’s mother, Alicia, spoke about how she wants him to be remembered. She says he was passionate about his work in trying to make D.C. safer.

“He had the most beautiful smile. He would light up a room,” Alicia Robinson said. “If you were having a bad day, he would come and make you feel better.”

D.C. police tell News4 the incident is being reviewed the U.S. Attorney’s Office and is being investigated by their internal affairs division. Police say they have no comment on calls for the DOJ to investigate.

In a statement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Monday: “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is aware of the circumstances surrounding the tragic shooting of Justin Robinson. If evidence reveals potential violations of federal criminal statutes, the Justice Department will take appropriate action.”

News4 reached out to the Department of Justice for comment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office sent us back a statement in which they said the DOJ would take appropriate action if evidence revealed potential violations of federal criminal statutes.

Officers responded to the woman’s home in the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive to conduct a welfare check because of concerns over her mental health, Chief of Police Kevin Davis said. A longtime officer with crisis-intervention training tried to speak with her and get her help, but she attacked him and refused to comply with officers, he said.

The woman’s name was not immediately released. She was 33 and police had several prior interactions with her related to mental health concerns, Davis said.

The officer who was slashed in the face was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Officers responded to the woman’s third-floor apartment after her mental health provider contacted Prince William County police and said she needed to be checked on, Davis said.

Officers knocked on her door, she opened it and then she slammed the door on them. They kept knocking and she opened the door again several minutes later. That’s when she began attacking the officer and slashing him in the face, Davis said.

The injured officer was able to reposition himself. He repeatedly warned the woman to step back.

“Back up! Back up! Please back up!” Davis said he warned her at least eight times.

She “kept coming and coming and coming,” and the officer opened fire.

The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

“The loss of life is something we all regret,” Davis said.

A man who said he lives in the complex said he saw the officer being taken out of the building.

“He just looked very shook. Frightened. Hopefully he’s OK,” he said.

The shooting scene is near Dulles Access Road and Reston Parkway. Chopper4 footage shows a heavy police presence in the area.

The police chief stressed that the veteran officer had been trained on how to defuse crises.

“We don’t have an answer for someone who attacks a police officer by cutting him in the face with a knife. This officer protected himself. Arguably, he protected other residents as well,” Davis said.

Police recovered the knife they say the woman used. A photo shows a kitchen knife with a pink handle.

The investigation is ongoing. The officer who opened fire is on routine administrative leave.

The whole interaction was captured on body camera video that police will release, Davis said.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Marcus Dwayne Jackson, 39, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault and other charges. A witness saw Jackson run toward D.C. after the stabbing on Wisconsin Avenue just before 9:30 a.m., police said.

Medics treated the victim and took her to a hospital, police said. Police did not say where she was stabbed, but said she has serious injuries.

D.C. police officers found Jackson near Chevy Chase Circle and arrested him there. They found a knife on Jackson, police said.

Investigators could be seen going through an olive green backpack the suspect was carrying.

Yellow police tape and numerous officers surrounded the wooden bench near the bus bay at the station as police investigated and commuters waited for their buses Monday morning.

The circumstances surrounding the stabbing are unclear and police haven’t said if the victim knew the suspect.

Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.

A judge set Dec. 9 as the date after prosecutors and the defense went back and forth at Monday’s quick hearing. Prosecutors wanted the trial to begin early next year, saying they needed time to organize witnesses and prepare. The defense argued for an earlier start.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt has not been seen since the end of July. The 28-year-old originally from Nepal moved to the U.S. for an arranged marriage in 2021. She recently missed her baby girl’s first birthday, and her family members rushed to the U.S. to take care of the child.

Her husband was arrested at the couple’s home last month on a single charge of concealing a body. But in the criminal complaint, police accused him of killing Mamta Kafle Bhatt. Prosecutors have laid out chilling allegations, including that pooling blood was found in the primary bedroom and bathroom of the couple’s home.

Every seat in the courtroom was filled as a few family members and former colleagues showed up to Monday’s hearing along with dozens of supporters from the community. Many hadn’t known Mamta before.

“Everyone who is standing here today is a warrior for Mamta, and every time people show up, it’s going to make Naresh Bhatt feel a little more uncomfortable,” Holly Wirth, who worked with Mamta Kafle Bhatt, said.

Wirth pleaded that anyone with information contact police.

“At the end of the day, somebody knows something. Somebody saw something. And if you could please call that in, that’s where justice is gonna be, and we can bring Mamta home to her family and her daughter,” she said.

Bhatt’s defense team argued in court Friday they believe Mamta Kafle Bhatt is still alive. A judge ordered prosecutors to turn over two pieces of evidence that the defense said could be exculpatory, or help to prove their client’s innocence.

Defense attorneys said Naresh Bhatt waited several days to report his wife missing because Mamta Kafle Bhatt left for several days earlier in the year without telling him where she was going. Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys claim police told him at that time to wait several days to see if she turned up before reporting her missing. They requested the reports from those interactions with police, which the judge granted.

The defense also requested surveillance video that shows a woman picking up Mamta from work two days before she disapppeared. They said they don’t know who the woman is and they want to identify her so they can talk to her. The judge ordered prosecutors to share that video with the defense.

Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys argued for other evidence, including car and cellphone GPS data, but the judge did not grant those requests.

The defense was granted a speedy trial in early September. Prosecutors had argued against a speedy trial, saying it would be challenging to be ready that quickly.

Timeline of Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a nurse, was reported missing after failing to show up for her shifts at work. Friends said that was highly unusual since she was caring for her baby and often active on social media.

Investigators have conducted multiple searches at the Bhatt home. Search warrants have revealed details about what investigators believe were Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s last days.

A detective wrote that on July 29 – the last day friends heard from Mamta Kafle Bhatt – there were numerous calls with her husband. After that, all calls went to voicemail.

Naresh Bhatt told police his wife destroyed her phone before July 31 — the day he told police that he last saw her.

But on Aug. 1, her phone was pinging in the Aldie area of Northern Virginia. Naresh Bhatt told police he was at a cafe there.

Police say they have video showing Naresh Bhatt at a Walmart purchasing cleaning supplies. He also went to a Walmart in Prince William County and purchased a set of knives. Two of those knives are now missing, prosecutors said.

Police conducted a welfare check on Aug. 2, and Naresh Bhatt reported his wife missing on Aug. 5, police said.

Bhatt was arrested on Aug. 22, one day after investigators were seen in the Bhatt family home.

Passports for Bhatt and his daughter were in full view when police entered the home for a search. Prosecutors said there’s evidence that Naresh Bhatt was in the process of packing up his home and selling his car.

Manassas Park officers and the Prince William County police have searched several parks and communities for evidence. It’s still unknown if searchers found anything relating to the case.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

All northbound lanes of I-495 were closed at Georgetown Pike, the Virginia Department of Transportation said at about 7:40 a.m.

A traffic camera showed the tractor-trailer on its side and a long line of cars stopped.

Drivers were advised to seek alternate routes and expect delays. Drivers were directed onto Georgetown Pike.

“Signal timings are being monitored and adjusted on nearby roads,” VDOT said on X.

Two left lanes were open as of 9:30 a.m. In an update at 11:10 a.m., VDOT said the crash had been cleared and all lanes were back open.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave. NW about 4:35 a.m.

Officers found a male victim with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene, police said. The victim’s name has not been released.

Homicide investigators were called to the scene, which is near the Cathedral of St. Matthew and in sight of the Human Rights Campaign offices.

Police said they were looking for three people who drove off in a white vehicle while wearing black clothing and ski masks.

Much of the block, which is often busy during rush hour, was closed off by yellow police tape on Monday morning. Officers were seen taking photos of a car, and several evidence markers were placed on the road.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

At around 4 a.m. Sunday, police say someone smashed the windows of at least two cars and damaged a motorcycle inside the garage of The Berkshire Apartments on Massachusetts Avenue.

One woman tells News4 she had more than $4000 worth of personal items stolen from her car.

It wasn’t just the driver-side windshield that was shattered. Resident Gabriela Frederick says her sense of security was too. She and her husband were set to go to church this morning when they realized their car had been broken into.

“I was in tears,” Frederick said. “I’m not a crier, but I was in shock. I just felt so violated.”

Frederick says most of the stolen personal items were expensive gear and tools that her husband was planning on taking to an upcoming trip.

Frederick says her biggest frustration is that the garage door has been broken for the past two weeks and claims residents have been urging management to fix it.

When News4 was there Sunday afternoon, the garage door was open the whole time.

“We pay nearly $200 a month for the garage to have an extra layer of security – and it’s not,” Frederick said.

News4 reached out to Gables Residential – the property management company for The Berkshire – to ask about the break-ins, and have yet to hear back as of Sunday night.

News4 did obtain an email that was sent to residents Sunday afternoon that reads in-part, “We want to inform you about a recent incident involving vehicle break-ins within our community’s parking areas. We are currently working with local law enforcement to address the situation… We understand this situation is concerning, and we will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information.”

“What if I was coming to the car?” Frederick said. “There’s so many things that could have happened – it could have been so much worse.”

Frederick says she’s thankful no one was hurt, but now she’s unsure if she feels comfortable continuing to live there.

“It’s really unfortunate that this has become a norm,” she said. “This cannot be a norm. This is not okay.”

The victims in this case say they’re still figuring out how much it’ll cost to repair everything. At this point, police are still searching for whoever is responsible.

The shooting happened on busy Collington Road in Bowie Thursday morning. The man says he got out of his vehicle to get a hat that had blown out of the car. That’s when he says he was confronted by an officer who fired a shot.

That shot hit another vehicle that was not involved in the incident.

“I thought I died on that highway,” the man said.

He doesn’t want to show his face or give his name, but he wants to share his story.

It was 8 a.m. when a Bowie police officer fired a shot, the man says, after confronting him while he was outside his girlfriend’s car retrieving a hat that had blown out the window earlier.

His girlfriend and their kids were still in their jeep.

“As I was approaching the car, the officer asked me, was I getting in the car, was I with her. I proceeded to say yes, and then all I heard was a shot fired, and then I dropped to the ground,” he said.

He dropped because he believed he’d been shot, but the bullet hit the side of a vehicle that was passing by.

“As soon as my ears stopped ringing, I turned around and asked the officer why did he shoot me,” he said.

But he didn’t get that answer, and that’s the center of an investigation

Bowie Police said the officer had pulled over to assist what was believed to be a stranded driver.

A statement from the department says, “Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer discharged their firearm. The reason for the discharge is being investigated. No one was injured, but an uninvolved vehicle passing by was struck.”

The man who was retrieving his hat said he never even saw the officer draw his weapon.

He shared a video, which he recorded himself, after the shooting

“Why did your officer shoot at me for no reason?” the man asked in the video

“Do you want them to check your head out?” the officer responded.

“Yes sir,” the man can be heard saying.

“Alright,” the officer responded.

The man says no one responded to his questions.

He told News4 he was not under investigation and was not given any commands before the shot was fired.

“I was never told to stop, put your hands up, get on the ground, stand here, none of that,” he said.

He’s asking Bowie Police to release any body worn camera video that shows exactly what happened.

The Prince George’s County Police Special Investigative response team is conducting the investigation.

Bowie’s police chief says in-car and officer body camera will be reviewed as part of the investigation. The officer is on administrative leave.

When it mattered most, Daniels got the job done and picked up his first win as an NFL quarterback, beating the New York Giants 21-18 on Sunday thanks to a franchise-record seven field goals from new kicker Austin Seibert.

“I feel blessed,” Daniels said. “Can’t really complain. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but a win is a win.”

Daniels engineered the go-ahead, 65-yard drive in the final minutes to get the ball into the red zone, setting up Seibert’s 30-yard field goal that won it as the clock expired. Seibert’s 7-for-7 performance came days after he replaced Cade York, who missed each of his two attempts in the season opener.

“I guess that’s a great way to kind of welcome myself to the team and win a football game, so I’m happy with it,” said Seibert, who was good from 27, 45, 26, 27, 29 and 30 yards out. “No reason to make it bigger than it is. Just go out there and do what I do.”

The Commanders (1-1) came back to win an ugly game after the Giants lost kicker Graham Gano to an injury on the opening kickoff. Not having Gano forced New York (0-2) to go for it on several fourth-down situations after punter Jamie Gillan missed an extra point attempt early.

Gano, who said it was unrelated to the sore groin that landed him on the injury report, said his hamstring “doesn’t feel good.”

Daniels was 23 of 29 for 226 yards and rushed for 44 in his second professional start, beating former LSU teammate and fellow top-10 pick Malik Nabers in their first matchup in the league. Nabers was the Giants’ best player with 10 catches for 127 yards and his first career TD reception.

“He did his thing, which I kind of expected just knowing him,” Daniels said after swapping jerseys with Nabers. “He got my first win jersey and I got his first 100-yard game. That’s going to mean a lot to both of us.”

Nabers was targeted 18 times by Daniel Jones, who after a rough Week 1 was a respectable 16 of 28 for 178 yards and two touchdown passes. Nabers dropped a fourth-down pass from Jones, which turned the ball over on downs.

“I’m disappointed,” Nabers said. “No matter how good of a game you can play, that last play came down to me. I’m hurt that I let those veterans down.”

The Commanders overcame going 0 for 6 in the red zone with seven trips inside the New York 25 and multiple false start penalties that derailed drives.

“You can’t have that,” left guard Nick Allegretti said. “But with such a new team, those things will happen. We’ve got to cut them down.”

Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. carried the ball 17 times for a career-high 133 yards. He also made the two longest runs of his pro career: 32 yards in the first half and 40 in the second.

“Great start for me so I can gain the momentum that I need,” Robinson said. “I’m thankful for the opportunities. It’s been a while since I got 17 (carries) in one game, too, so I appreciate all that love from my coaches, and I expect to keep building off of that.”

Ertz’s Milestone

Washington’s Zach Ertz became the 12th tight end in NFL history to surpass 7,500 yards receiving. The 33-year-old veteran made four catches for 62 yards as one of Daniels’ most popular targets.

Injuries

Nabers was cleared after being checked for a concussion late in the first quarter following a big hit from Washington’s Frankie Luvu. … Cornerback Dru Phillips was also evaluated for a concussion and cleared late in the game.

Up Next

Giants: Visit Cleveland next Sunday.

Commanders: Visit Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 23.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Officials in Ocean City announced the closure on Sunday afternoon. They did not expand on what type of medical waste was found.

“Until we are confident that the situation is under control, we recommend wearing shoes on the beach and avoiding the ocean entirely,” Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald said in a statement. He added that the city was working with Worcester County health officials to investigate the source of the waste.

The medical waste also washed up in Assateague Island National Seashore which spans Maryland and Virginia. The waste was only found on the Maryland portion of the island, officials said. They have barred beach access on the North End and swimming and wading is forbidden in the Maryland District.

Assateague Island State Park also has a Beach Closure in effect. The Virginia portion of the seashore has not seen medical waste.

Officials said they’ll provide updates as they have them.

The robbery happened along the 800 block of N. Glebe Road near Interstate 66.

The victim was shot at least one time during the crime, police said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Police said four people fled the scene in a vehicle. A description of the car or additional information about what led to the robbery was not immediately available.

She died trying to evacuate her burning Silver Spring high rise with her two dogs in February of 2023. Survived by her parents and her brother, her family is now seeking at least $2.3 million in damages against the owner of Arrive Apartments and the property management company, Trinity Property Consultants.

“We are here today because we want to send a clear message to this building and other corporations who are doing the same thing. … I want to say you still have a chance to fix it, to fix all these issues, because no money is going to replace any life,” said her father, Cesar Diaz.

The lawsuit alleges the owner failed to maintain and inspect the building for fire safety measures, that the smoke detectors in the unit where the fire broke out weren’t working, and that the building should have installed fire sprinklers.

“Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the fire safety door that separated the seventh floor, where the fire broke out, from the fire evacuation stairwell that failed and allowed the door to stay open, letting in dark plumes of smoke that would have disoriented Melanie or other residents who would have relied on that evacuation stairwell for safe passage out of the building,” said Attorney Matthew Christ. “Melanie would have encountered thick, dark smoke that would have disoriented her, and ultimately it suffocated her to death.”

Attorneys for Melanie’s family say it could take a year to two years before a resolution is made.

News4 reached out to Trinity Property Consultants and the owner of the building but we have yet to hear back as of Saturday night.

In the days following the deadly fire in 2023, Trinity Property Consultants did release a statement in which it sent condolences to the Diaz family and all of those affected by the fire. The statement also stated that all fire systems were in working order and everything was up to code the day of the fire.

Prince William County police say they were called to the Sonic Soft car wash on Richmond Highway for a report of a shooting before 4 p.m. When they arrived, they found a person suffering from gunshot injuries.

Police have yet to release any information about the status of the person that was shot.

The focus of the investigation is in the parking lot area right before the entrance of the car port.

Throughout the afternoon, investigators canvassed the area and collected evidence.

News4 spoke with workers inside of the Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken restaurant. They didn’t want to talk on camera, but told News4 there appeared to be some shouting at the car wash before shots were fired.

Police say this remains an active investigation.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Butler suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage three weeks ago, while addressing his players after a pre-season scrimmage. On Friday, Potomac, Maryland saw the Bullis community showed up in force to honor the man they called “Coach Ray.”

Many wore shirts or carried signs with the hashtag “play for Ray.” It was an emotional evening, as Bullis football team members mourned a man who pushed them to be both scholars and athletes, and families mourned someone they cared about and who cared about them.

The absence of Butler, whose fatal brain hemorrhage took place on Aug. 24, was deeply felt.

Butler was only 48 years old.

Montgomery County Sep 3

Bullis Football Coach Ray Butler dies from apparent brain aneurysm

Potomac Sep 3

‘Profound impact': Bullis School mourns death of football coach

Maryland Sep 13

‘Play for Ray': Bullis HS football team honors Coach Ray Butler

“The toughest part has been managing feelings. Managing personalities,” said assistant coach Kevin Anderson. “But the best part — I’ve seen strength in these young men that I can carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Butler, who became head coach in 2023, was part of the Bullis security staff for a decade.

He’s credited with reinvigorating the football program, which has seen a number of team members go on to play in Division One schools, and even the NFL.

Friends say Butler could intuitively sense when a student or their family was having a problem, and he would offer help.

A group of parents have created a fundraiser to help Ray Butler’s family with expenses.

And in their home opener, the Bulldogs did indeed play for Ray, pouring their hearts into a 41-0 victory over Bishop O’Connell.

Frederick Moorefield Jr., 63, entered the guilty plea Friday. Investigators found evidence he had engaged in the practice for years. They started investigating after responding to a report of two dead dogs found in a plastic dog food bag in 2018 and later seized veterinary steroids, a blood-stained carpet and jumper cables allegedly used for fatally electrocuting dogs from Moorefield’s home, according to prosecutors.

His co-defendant in the case, Mario Flythe of Glen Burnie, also pleaded guilty in July.

Moorefield was a deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Prosecutors said Moorefield and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with people across the country about dogfighting.

After responding to the report of two dead dogs, investigators found mail addressed to Moorefield inside the bag, and a necropsy determined that the dogs bore wounds and scarring patterns consistent with their having been used in dogfighting, officials said. They said Moorefield had been keeping and training dogs for fighting at his Maryland home for over 20 years.

He was associated with a dogfighting ring that operated in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Officials said the ring organized dogfights and members would place bets on the outcomes.

“In the event that one of Moorefield’s dogs lost a fight but did not die, Moorefield killed that dog,” officials with the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release Friday. “One method of killing employed by Moorefield involved the use of a device consisting of jumper cables connected directly to an ordinary plug. Moorefield plugged the device into a wall socket and attached the cables to the dog, electrocuting it.”

When agents searched Moorefield’s home in September 2023, they found five pitbull-type dogs being kept in metal cages in a windowless room of the basement. Among the items they seized was a bloody piece of carpet that Moorefield used to test the dogs’ fighting ability, officials said.

One of the dogs had to be euthanized “after exhibiting extreme aggression toward both human caretakers and other dogs,” according to prosecutors.

Moorefield pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in animal fighting and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. He faces up to five years in prison.

An attorney representing Moorefield didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Abdurahman Diaby was found not guilty of murder on Friday for the death of Jayda Medrano-Moore. The jury found Diaby guilty on all other charges, including assault, reckless endangerment and use of a gun during a violent crime.

Now 18, Diaby was 17 at the time of the deadly shooting and was tried as an adult.

Medrano-Moore was shot and killed outside her school in Lanham, Maryland, on Sept. 11, 2023. Witnesses said she had been trying to defend her brother and grab a gun from Diaby.

Diaby testified that the gun went off accidentally and he was acting in self-defense. Leaving court, his family declined to comment.

Diaby faces up to 50 years in prison. It wasn’t immediately clear when he will be sentenced.

Maryland May 16

DuVal High STEM students build electric race car in honor of slain classmate

Gun violence Feb 28

3 more teens charged with murder of 16-year-old girl near DuVal High

Prince George's County Sep 11, 2023

DuVal High School student dies after shooting in Lanham

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Medrano-Moore was a bright, humble student and dedicated basketball player who dreamed of a professional sports career.

Three more young people still await trial in connection to her death.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Fans posted on social media that they were stuck for hours waiting in lines for buses at Jiffy Lube Live, a concert venue near the course about 40 miles west of Washington, D.C., prompting a statement of apology from the LPGA Tour.

“We recognize and deeply apologize to all fans affected by the challenges with shuttling from parking to the golf course,” the statement said. “We’ve made significant changes to our transportation system to mitigate these issues moving forward, and we’re working on ways to express our regret to those impacted.”

Spectators also said the portable restrooms at the parking site were locked while they waited for buses.

In the 20 minutes before Friday’s matches began, a small trickle of fans speed-walked toward the grandstand, but there was no sign of the record crowds that organizers had promised.

“It’s disappointing. It is what it is. You play in these things for years, and things happen,” U.S. captain Stacy Lewis said. “Unfortunately, it was a big one.”

The LPGA said Friday night that it planned to open the gates earlier on Saturday morning, increase the number of shuttle buses and move parking for volunteers to a different location.

Esther Henseleit struck the opening tee shot for Europe in the team competition against the United States as part of an alternate-shot pairing with Charley Hull. Allisen Corpuz followed for the U.S., paired with top-ranked Nelly Korda.

Players frequently describe the opening tee shot at the Solheim Cup as more nerve-wracking than anything in women’s golf, fueled partly by fans who fill grandstands hours in advance to cheer the home team. But with fewer spectators, the home-field advantage was muted.

“You’ve got to get the people here,” former U.S. captain Juli Inkster said as she followed a match on the fourth hole.

The few hundred fans who made it in time for Friday morning’s opening remained quiet for the European tee shots and cheered throughout as the Americans hit theirs, a departure from golf etiquette that players have come to embrace at team competitions.

Once the fans arrived, they were treated to an American rout as the U.S. tries to prevent Europe from capturing the cup for a record fourth straight time. The grandstands were packed when Korda and Megan Khang were greeted by former President Barack Obama ahead of their afternoon better-ball match.

The Americans led by a record 6-2 margin when Friday’s matches concluded, and they could only hope for a full complement of supporters on Saturday morning.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The deli meat company made the announcement Friday, in a press release posted to their website emphasizing the “regret” and “pain” that the outbreak and subsequent plant closure caused.

“We regret and deeply apologize for the recent Listeria monocytogenes contamination in our liverwurst product,” the release begins. “We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families. Comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.”

Those measures include Boar’s Head permanently discontinuing liverwurst, which was the product that was recalled for causing the listeria outbreak. The “root cause of the contamination” was “a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst,” the company said.

Other measures include “establishing a “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts,” the “creation of an enhanced companywide food safety and QA program” and “appointing a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer,” the company said in the release.

The most drastic measure is the closure of the Virginia plant.

“Given the seriousness of the outbreak, and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024,” the company states in the press release.

Included in that release is a link to the USDA’s “notice of suspension,” which stopped production at the plant and which stated that the USDA would “withhold the federal marks of inspection” that are normally printed on to packaging to show that the facility produced food in a safe way.

Documents obtained by the Associated Press through federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests showed that the plant “repeatedly violated federal regulations,” the AP wrote at the end of August.

The violations included instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment.

Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors found “heavy discolored meat buildup” and “meat overspray on walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.” They also documented flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling. One inspector detailed blood puddled on the floor and “a rancid smell in the cooler.” Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the documents showed.

Recalls Aug 29

Insects and mold found at Boar's Head plant in Virginia amid listeria outbreak, records show

Recalls Aug 15

88-year-old victim in Boar's Head deli meat outbreak underscores risks for those most vulnerable

Inspections at the plant had been suspended and it was set to stay closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” U.S. Agriculture Department officials said in a statement Thursday. Boar’s Head officials halted production at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant in late July.

With Boar’s Head announcing the indefinite closure, that plant may never reopen.

The union representing employees at the Virginia plant, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, released a statement on Friday about the plant’s closure.

““Everyone agrees this unprecedented tragedy was not the fault of the workforce, so it is especially unfortunate that the Jarratt plant must close indefinitely and put so many men and women out of work,” the statement reads. Thankfully these workers have a union they can count on to always have their backs. We appreciate the extraordinary efforts Boar’s Head has made to keep our members on the job as long as possible and to ensure everyone is taken care of during this process.”

The union said its members at the plant will be able to transfer to other Boar’s Head plants, or “accept a severance package well above and beyond what is required under the law.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bhatt’s defense team argued in court Friday they believe Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who hasn’t been seen since July, is still alive and that the evidence could be exculpatory, or help to prove their client’s innocence.

Defense attorneys said Naresh Bhatt waited several days to report his wife missing because Mamta Kafle Bhatt left for several days earlier in the year without telling him where she was going. Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys claim police told him at that time to wait several days to see if she turned up before reporting her missing. They requested the reports from those interactions with police, which the judge granted.

The defense also requested surveillance video that shows a woman picking up Mamta from work two days before she disapppeared. They said they don’t know who the woman is and they want to identify her so they can talk to her. The judge ordered prosecutors to share that video with the defense.

Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys argued for other evidence, including car and cellphone GPS data, but the judge did not grant those requests.

Last week, the defense was granted a speedy trial. A trial date will be decided during another hearing set for Monday.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt has not been seen for over a month. The 28-year-old originally from Nepal moved to the U.S. for an arranged marriage in 2021. She recently missed her baby girl’s first birthday, and her family members rushed to the U.S. to take care of the child.

Her husband was arrested at the couple’s home last month on a single charge of concealing a body. But in the criminal complaint, police accused him of killing Mamta Kafle Bhatt. Prosecutors have laid out chilling allegations, including that pooling blood was found in the primary bedroom and bathroom of the couple’s home.

Timeline of Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a nurse, was reported missing after failing to show up for her shifts at work. Friends said that was highly unusual since she was caring for her baby and often active on social media.

Investigators have conducted multiple searches at the Bhatt home. Search warrants have revealed details about what investigators believe were Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s last days.

A detective wrote that on July 29 – the last day friends heard from Mamta Kafle Bhatt – there were numerous calls with her husband. After that, all calls went to voicemail.

Naresh Bhatt told police his wife destroyed her phone before July 31 — the day he told police that he last saw her.

But on Aug. 1, her phone was pinging in the Aldie area of Northern Virginia. Naresh Bhatt told police he was at a cafe there.

Police say they have video showing Naresh Bhatt at a Walmart purchasing cleaning supplies. He also went to a Walmart in Prince William County and purchased a set of knives. Two of those knives are now missing, prosecutors said.

Police conducted a welfare check on Aug. 2, and Naresh Bhatt reported his wife missing on Aug. 5, police said.

Bhatt was arrested on Aug. 22, one day after investigators were seen in the Bhatt family home.

Passports for Bhatt and his daughter were in full view when police entered the home for a search. Prosecutors said there’s evidence that Naresh Bhatt was in the process of packing up his home and selling his car.

Manassas Park officers and the Prince William County police have searched several parks and communities for evidence. It’s still unknown if searchers found anything relating to the case.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Prince William County officers got a tip about a threat against Unity Braxton Middle School on Sept. 9, police said.

The girl, who police didn’t name due to her age, threatened violence toward the school on TikTok, police said.

After identifying the girl, investigators determined there was no credible threat to students or staff at the school.

Police arrested the girl on Wednesday and charged her as a juvenile with “threats by electronic means.”

Two passengers and the driver of a “senior-living assisted facility transportation bus” were killed, Maryland State Police said in a statement.

Charlie Parker, of Mechanicsville, was the driver, police said. He was 84. The passengers were Cassandra Brown, 61, and Darlene Burrell, 64, both of Waldorf.

Chopper4 video shows the mangled wreckage of the white bus, with catastrophic damage to the front end on the driver’s side.

The crash involving a Sagepoint Senior Living Services bus occurred at Port Tobacco Road and Bowie Road, in a rural portion of the county, shortly before 8 a.m.

According to the initial investigation, the bus was headed west on Port Tobacco Road when “for unknown reasons,” the driver lost control and hit an eastbound dump truck head-on.

All three people were declared dead on the scene. The driver of the dump truck was not injured.

Investigators do not believe either driver was impaired, police said.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

An investigation by the Maryland State Police Crash Team is underway. All lanes of Port Tobacco Road were shut down and later reopened.

Lt. Everett West of Maryland State Police called the crash a tragedy that was affecting first responders.

“I think I can easily speak for all the first responders; it’s a pretty somber mood here today,” he said.

Sagepoint did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

News4 video shows the horrifically mangled bus being towed away.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

The pedestrian was walking near Franconia Road and Elder Avenue in Springfield when the driver hit him. The driver got out and ran, Fairfax County police said before 7 a.m.

The pedestrian was declared dead at the scene of the crash. His name was not immediately released.

No details about the car or the driver who ran were immediately released.

Franconia Road at Elder Avenue was shut down in both directions as of 8 a.m. Friday.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

News4’s Molette Green surprised the organization with a check for $4,500. The money was raised through NBC4 and Telemundo 44’s Food 4 Families campaign.

For five decades, Meals on Wheels College Park has delivered food and done wellness checks on elderly people and those with disabilities in Prince George’s County.

But it needs extra support now, Lisa Ealley, the chapter’s chairman, said.

“We need money because the funding that we had relied on for so long is drying up. We need volunteers,” Eally said. “We need fresh produce.”

They don’t rely on food pantries or banks, Eally said. The organization depends on community support. Eally shouted out RJ Bentley’s in College Park for donating sandwiches once a week.

Ealley said that the organization heard from some interested potential volunteers while appearing on News4 Today on Friday morning.

If you’re interested in helping, visit mealsonwheelsofcollegepark.org.

The Montgomery County firefighter, a 54-year-old, was hit at about 3 a.m. on the Inner Loop of Interstate 495 near University Boulevard. He was rushed to a trauma center.

Members of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and Maryland State Police troopers responded at about 2:40 a.m. to a previous crash involving a tractor-trailer and a Lexus sedan, police said. Several lanes of the highway were “blocked off by traffic cones, flares and two marked patrol vehicles with emergency lights activated,” a statement from police said.

About 20 minutes later, the driver of a BMW sedan sped through the lane closures, smashed into two patrol vehicles with no one inside and hit the firefighter, police said the initial investigation showed.

Photos shared by state police show heavy damage to a trooper’s SUV. All the airbags appeared to have deployed.

Driver Alberto Zurita, 45, was arrested for suspected DUI. The investigation is ongoing.

No information was immediately released on the nature or severity of the firefighter’s injuries.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

All drivers must move over to protect first responders. Maryland’s Move Over Law requires drivers to “make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying warning signals.” Go here for more information.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

After an emotional three-day hearing in federal court, a judge sentenced Officer Terrence Sutton to 5 1/2 years in prison for the 2020 death of Karon Hylton-Brown. Sutton was convicted in 2022 of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.

Sutton was the first D.C. officer to be convicted of murder in the line of duty.

Lt. Andrew Zabavsky was sentenced to four years after his 2022 conviction for conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.

The officers will appeal and were allowed to go home on Thursday. U.S. Marshals had them escorted out through a back entrance, out of fear for their safety.

Sutton’s attorney criticized the sentence.

“This is the most unjust prosecution and sentence that I have ever experienced, and I have always respected this judge. But I’m deeply disappointed,” Candace Hernandez said.

The mother of Hylton-Brown’s child, Amaala Jones-Bey, said she was happy the judge had “an unbiased opinion through the whole trial.”

A moped ride ended in a deadly crash

Sutton started pursuing Karon Hylton-Brown, who was riding a moped on the sidewalk in the Brightwood Park area of Northwest D.C. on Oct. 23, 2020. Sutton chased Hylton-Brown for several minutes, until the moped rider exited an alley and was hit by an oncoming driver.

Hylton-Brown suffered severe head trauma and died in a hospital two days later. He was the father of an infant.

His death sparked protests, including outside the Fourth District police station.

The U.S. Attorney for D.C. says Sutton and Zabavsky failed to preserve the crash scene for investigators and turned off their body cameras.

“As Mr. Hylton-Brown lay unconscious in the street in a pool of his own blood, Sutton and Zabavsky agreed to cover up what Sutton had done to prevent any further investigation of the incident,” the office said in a statement.

Karon Hylton-Brown Dec 21, 2022

DC Police Officers Found Guilty in Karon Hylton-Brown's Death

Karon Hylton-Brown Oct 26, 2021

Mother of Karon Hylton-Brown Reflects on Indictment of Officers in Her Son's Death

Northwest DC Dec 7, 2023

Mother of man killed in DC police chase not guilty of assaulting US marshal in court

At the police station, the officers denied that a chase occurred, falsely implied that Hylton-Brown was drunk and downplayed his injuries, prosecutors said.

The judge said that with the sentences, he wanted to send a message about the officers’ behavior and the cover-up that followed.

In court, Sutton said he was sorry for the loss of Hylton-Brown. Zabavsky directly addressed the victim’s family and apologized. He went on to speak about his need to care for his mother, who he said has dementia.

The officers’ appeals are expected to be filed in the coming days. An attorney for the mother of Hylton-Brown’s child said he will file a civil suit against the Metropolitan Police Department.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

The reservoir, located along the Patuxent River in Montgomery and Howard counties, serves as a drinking water source for WSSC Water and a recreational area for hiking, fishing and boating.

The algae is known for causing adverse health effects. While the advisory does not affect drinking water, it will affect recreational water.

WSSC Water said they are monitoring water quality conditions at its Patuxent Water Filtration Plant.

Here’s what to know about visiting the reservoir:

• Recreation areas remain open.
• Boating and fishing are allowed.
• Any body part that comes in contact with reservoir water should be rinsed with drinking water.
• Do not consume fish livers or digestive organs from fish caught in the reservoir. If you catch a fish in the reservoir, wash the fillets thoroughly with drinking water.
• Do not allow pets to swim in or drink the water (prohibited at all times by WSSC Water watershed regulations).

If you or someone you know comes in contact with or ingests water at the reservoir, call your local health department:

• Montgomery County: 240-777-0311 (Montgomery County 311)
• Prince George’s County: 301-883-4748 (Prince George’s County 311)
• Howard County: 410-313-1773 (Community Hygiene Department)

White, who represents Ward 8, entered the plea during his second appearance in federal court since he was arrested on Aug. 18.

He’s accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in exchange for using his position to pressure employees of the D.C. Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) to extend several contracts, prosecutors said. White is the chair of a D.C. Council committee that oversees several agencies, including DYRS.

Prosecutors said Thursday they offered White a plea deal, but he rejected it.

He was surrounded by dozens of supporters who crowded into the courtroom for the hearing. White and his attorney did not answer any questions as they left the courthouse.

White received $35,000 in four cash payments in the alleged scheme, court documents say.

Thursday is the deadline for White to remove his name from the general election ballot, but it’s unclear if he plans to do so.

Following White’s arrest, the D.C. government launched a wide-ranging review of violence interruption work.

Read the full indictment against White here:

Here’s what federal prosecutors say Trayon White did

Federal prosecutors say White agreed starting in June to accept $156,000 in bribes in exchange for using his position to pressure government employees to extend violence intervention contracts worth $5.2 million.

He’s accused of accepting envelopes full of cash as he was caught on a hidden camera. Here’s how the FBI broke down the payments:

• June 26: $15,000 cash received
• July 17: $5,000 cash received
• July 25: $10,000 cash received
• Aug. 9: $5,000 cash received

Images included in court documents show what prosecutors say is White receiving envelopes stuffed with cash.

DC Council Aug 21

How Trayon White's arrest may shake up the Ward 8 election

DC Council Aug 19

Secret cameras, $35K in cash: DC Council member Trayon White accused of bribery

An FBI informant who operated businesses that contracted with the D.C. government agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of an agreement to plead guilty to bribery and bank fraud charges. Several conversations between White and the informant were recorded in a parked car wired for video and audio, including outside White’s home, prosecutors say.

At one meeting, White and the informant discussed contracts the informant had with ONSE. The informant asked White if the contracts would be renewed and said he had $15,000 cash.

Initially, White asked, “What you need me to do, man? I don’t, I don’t wanna feel like you gotta gimme something to get something. We better than that.”

Then he tucked the envelope with the cash into his jacket pocket, prosecutors say.

White is due back in court in mid November for a status hearing. A trial isn’t expected to begin until sometime next year.

The Council will consider sanctions for White when they return from summer recess next week.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester marks the milestone by saying that the reason she does this work is not about making history, “but to make a difference, an impact, on people’s lives.”

Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks said that people like her, and stories like hers, don’t usually make it to the U.S. Senate, “but they should.”

If the two Democratic candidates prevail in their elections this November, their arrival would double the number of Black women — from two to four — who have ever been elected to the Senate, whose 100 members have historically been, and continue to be, mostly white men.

Never in the Senate have two Black women served together at the same time.

“I have to pause and think, How is that possible?” asked Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

“It’s not that white male attorneys’ perspective shouldn’t be at the table,” said Walsh, but “they shouldn’t be the only thing at the table.”

To be sure, there are a many stairs to climb before Senate history would be made this election, where not only the White House, but control of Congress is being fiercely contested, and essentially a toss-up. The Senate races, in particular, are heated, grueling and costly.

Blunt Rochester is almost assured to defeat the Republican candidate after Tuesday’s uncontested primary for the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper in the small state that is home to President Joe Biden and where she is the at-large representative to the House. But the race in Maryland between Alsobrooks and Republican Larry Hogan, the popular former governor, is expected to be tight to the finish — and it could determine which party takes majority control in the Senate.

Alsobrooks upended conventional wisdom to beat back wealthy David Trone in the primary to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin by amassing deep grass roots and party support, showcased in a notable campaign ad with hundreds of backers. She is the former State’s Attorney for sprawling Prince George’s County and is now its top County Executive.

On their private text chain Blunt Rochester says they call themselves “sister senator to be,” as they run down-ballot from Vice President Kamala Harris — a friend and colleague who became the second Black woman ever elected to the Senate when she won in 2016 — in her own historic run for the White House.

The first Black woman elected to the Senate, Democratic Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois in 1992, served a single term. Harris was the second. And a third Black woman, Sen. Laphonza Butler, was appointed to fill out the term of long-serving California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in 2023.

“People are anxious and excited at the same time,” said Glynda C. Carr, the president and CEO of Higher Heights for America, an organization that works to elect Black women to office.

What’s striking about their campaigns is the way the two women embrace their own backgrounds but also, like Harris, don’t dwell on the historic firsts they would bring to the job, leaving it to the voter to see their Blackness and hear their voices as women.

“The vast majority of us know that we have so much more in common than what separates us,” Harris said on the debate stage this week, brushing past Trump as he revived questions about her race.

On the campaign trail Blunt Rochester has shared the story of the Reconstruction Era documents showing her great, great, great-grandfather, who had been enslaved in Georgia, as now having the right to vote.

As she reminisces on that history, “what we’ve come through as a country,” she said she also thinks of what she will pass on to her own new baby granddaughter.

“There isn’t a cookie cutter way to run” for office, Blunt Rochester told AP.

Blunt Rochester and Harris are close, both entering Congress the same year and often sitting together at Congressional Black Caucus events. “The most important thing is that we show up as our authentic selves,” she said, adding “because it requires all of our different and diverse lived and work experiences.”

Alsobrooks launched her campaign for the Senate in a video telling her family’s story of leaving South Carolina for Maryland after her great-grandfather was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy after a traffic stop.

As a young prosecutor she first met Harris, then attorney general in California, a friendship that formed more than a decade ago.

But unlike 2016, when Hillary Clinton ran for president in a white suit symbolic of the suffragettes, the 2024 Senate candidates are positioning themselves more broadly in a way that may appeal to a wider electorate but also signals the cultural shift as the country becomes more diverse and Congress becomes more reflective of the electorate.

“We learned from 2016, we’re not going to lead with identity in the same way that Hillary Clinton did,” said Aimee Allison, founder of She the People, an organization that supports women of color in American leadership.

Allison said a new generation of candidates is showing you can be “holding multiple identities” at once. “It’s demonstrating you have a heart for people who you’re not like … but deserve to be served by government and deserve representation.”

The challenges Black women face to get to this point in the campaign are steep, rooted in a two-party political system that has often been slow to support Black women candidates and quick to doubt their ability to win statewide office, despite the qualifications.

Over the years, the parties have not always shared ample resources with Black women candidates who strategists said proved they could have had more success in several close races, creating a Catch-22 loop that reinforces biased attitudes against their electability.

In fact, the Senate may have been poised to swear in another Black woman, Rep. Barbara Lee, who ran for the open seat from California after Feinstein’s death but fell short during a multi-candidate primary. Rep. Adam Schiff ran a strong campaign to become the Democratic front-runner with wide party support and is expected to handily win the seat that is now filled temporarily by Butler. Others have faced tough political odds, including Democrat Valerie McCray this year in Republican-heavy Indiana.

With the Senate heading toward a 50-50 split, tens of millions of dollars are being spent in Maryland, where the popular Hogan was recruited by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to help the GOP win back the majority.

Hogan and Alsobrooks appear to generally appreciate one another. Alsobrooks said Hogan was a good governor, but warns that in the Senate he would be a decisive GOP vote.

Hogan’s campaign said he greatly respects Alsobrooks, and is proud of the work they did together during his administration.

“Our campaign has been laser-focused on Maryland and Marylanders — their local concerns and priorities, and the opportunity to elect an independent swing vote who will put the best interests of the state above party-line politics,” said Hogan campaign spokeswoman Blake Kernen.

During the Democratic National Convention the two women candidates held an event at a historic Black history museum in Chicago with Moseley Braun delivering remarks and Butler introducing them.

Blunt Rochester, noting her own powder blue power suit with its padded foundation, said she’s standing on the shoulders of those who came before her and has strong shoulders ready for those who come next.

At least one school district in Virginia closed school Wednesday, and another has increased security to protect students and staff.

Police and school districts across the nation are dealing with a spike in threats in the recent wake of school shootings. At least four school districts in the D.C. area have said they are aware of possible school threats, but nothing has gotten close to materializing.

The public school districts in Loudoun, Spotsylvania and Frederick counties in Virginia, and in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, are warning about potential threats after social media posts about either those districts or specific schools within them.

None of those threats so far have been found to be credible, but Frederick County school officials in Virginia made the decision Wednesday to close their schools out of an abundance of caution. On Thursday, they said the problem is resolved and students were going back to classes.

Several of these school systems say that these threats made online actually originated from out of state.

Nevertheless, they are taking these threats seriously.

In Loudoun County, the superintendent wrote a letter to the school community Wednesday evening about threats, writing: “Over the last week, we’ve seen an increase in these incidents, which unfortunately often happens in the aftermath of school shootings. What I need from parents right now is to talk to your children regarding the seriousness of making threats towards our schools or sharing threats that others have made online.”

Officers found the teens suffering from gunshot wounds just before 10 a.m. in the 3900 block of 8th Street SE in the Washington Highlands area, police said. The KIPP DC Legacy College Preparatory school and a recreation center are in the same block.

The teens, believed to be 16 and 17 years old, were conscious and breathing when they were taken to local hospitals, police said. They’re expected to survive.

Police said the teens ran to the KIPP school, where they’re students, for help. The shooting happened on 8th Street and not at the school, according to police.

Parents and guardians who got word there was a shooting near the school rushed to pick up their children.

“That’s a feeling you can’t, you can’t describe, cause he — man, if something happened to my baby, I don’t know what I’d do,” Yvette Bennaugh said after picking her grandson up from the school.

Dozens of officers were around the school soon after the shooting, and investigators could be seen sifting through bushes for clues and laying out evidence markers.

A woman who lives near the school says she was sitting on her walker, then got down on the floor to make sure she stayed safe.

“I saw the kids running over there to the school,” she said.

Police are looking for a black SUV with California tags in connection to the shooting. D.C. police said their Real Time Crime Center identified photos of the suspect vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.