Updated at 1:35 p.m. 8/9/19 — Police said that after a thorough investigation, “our detectives have concluded no criminal activity occurred.”
More from FCPD:
An ex-employee of a business within the building sent a suspicious group text message to some of his formercolleagues but there were no direct threats made. The following day, an employee in the building overheard two co-workers discussing the text message and asked another employee for additional information.
There was a language barrier and through the use of a cell phone translator program, the message was interpreted as a present threat of a man in the building with a gun. Building security relayed the information they received to our dispatch center, prompting the emergency response.
Our investigation determined that no one was actually seen with a gun and we do not have any evidence that the subject who sent the text message was at the building on Wednesday.
Earlier: Fairfax County police responded en masse to reports of a man with a weapon at Gannett headquarters in Tysons shortly after noon on Wednesday.
The police department tweeted about the incident at 7950 Jones Branch Drive, in the Valo Park office complex, at 12:25 p.m. today (Wednesday). Police vehicles swarmed the area as the building was evacuated.
Gannett, which publishes USA Today and hundreds of local newspapers across the country, this week announced a merger with fellow newspaper chain GateHouse.
USA Today reported around 1:15 p.m. that the incident resulted from “a mistaken report of a person with a weapon.” Fairfax County Police said that they “have found no evidence of any acts of violence or injuries.”
Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. said police received a 911 call around noon that said a former employee was spotted inside the building with a gun. Roessler said there is a person of interest being sought, but that there are no gunshots reported in the building. As of 2 p.m., Roessler said police were still searching the building floor by floor.
“Right now, we do not have any reports of gunshots being fired,” Roessler said. “This is a very large office complex, going to take several more hours to clear the building and make the determination that it’s all clear.”
A reunification center was established at the McLean Hilton (7920 Jones Branch Drive) for evacuated employees.
At a later press conference, Roessler said that police were talking to the person of interest, who was said to be a former employee of a company at the Valo Park complex. The person was located in a different part of Fairfax County and there is no evidence of a crime, Roessler said, adding that officers had “cleared every single inch of that building, from the basement to the roof to the parking garages.”
Police are still reviewing surveillance video to determine if the person of interest was actually in the building, as reported by the 911 caller.
Roessler said the large police response — which included heavily-armed SWAT officers and the Fairfax County Police helicopter overhead — was consistent with how the department would respond to an active shooter situation. The response was necessary, he said, given the initial report of an armed ex-employee.
In a press release this evening, police said that the person of interest “was identified in an unrelated area of the county and officers spoke with him, however, criminal charges are not expected.”
“The investigation is ongoing but we don’t have any evidence that a crime occurred – we’re thankful that this was a non-event,” Roessler said in the press release.
“The right decision was made today, even though it disrupted businesses,” he said. “Our prayers have been answered, everyone is safe.”
TYSONS EVACUATION SCENE @WUSA9 #breaking pic.twitter.com/qW7skv2xyj
— Mike Valerio (@ValerioCNN) August 7, 2019
Meanwhile, a scene from inside one of the stairwells at the @usatoday headquarters. (From @NewsCannon.) pic.twitter.com/4MkhttEqjv
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) August 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/trevorkchan/status/1159141416414654464?s=12
We are responding to reports of a man with weapon at the Gannett Building located at 7950 Jones Branch Drive in McLean. Please avoid the area, updates to follow #FCPD pic.twitter.com/cwz3c9wdUx
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) August 7, 2019
The anticipation is almost over for bicyclists and drivers who have been waiting for permanent lane markings along Greensboro Drive by The Boro development.
Jennifer McCord, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, told Tysons Reporter that the roadwork is being completed by a developer under permit.
“The developer plans to install the pavement markings for the bicycle lane on Greensboro Drive between Westpark Drive and Solutions Drive on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, weather permitting,” McCord said. “The other markings should be in place by Aug. 21.”
“I’m not sure how a bike commuter, pedestrian, scooter (or an [Single Occupant Vehicle] even) is supposed to safely navigate this area,” a self-identified cyclist tweeted Aug. 1.
Please please help. Thx. I'm not sure how a bike commuter, pedestrian, scooter (or an SOV even) is supposed to safely navigate this area. pic.twitter.com/mEGhKrSO6m
— Chris French (@chrislfrench) August 1, 2019
Work is underway on the new George Mason High School ahead of construction on a mixed-use project in Falls Church.
The City of Falls Church’s Planning Commission greenlighted the first of two phases for constructing the new high school on Monday, Aug. 5.
While preconstruction has already started, the approval of the first phase will now let the developers obtain building permits.
The second phase, which involves a trapezoid area in front of the school, parking and stormwater management, is expected to go before the Planning Commission later this summer or fall.
The new high school’s location will be right next to the current school, which will get converted into an approved mixed-use development known as Little City Commons.
The 1.3 million-square-foot development will occupy nearly 10 acres at the current George Mason High School location at 7124 Leesburg Pike. The development of Little City Commons will defray costs for the new school.
The school will serve grades 6-12 and have consolidated athletic fields and a “good neighbor zone,” according to city staff.
“As far as the Planning Commission is concerned, this is a momentous day,” Russell Wodiska, the chair of the Planning Commission, said at the meeting. “It’s a really exciting thing.”
Work on Little City Commons is slated to start in 2021 after work on the George Mason High School is finished.
Images via City of Falls Church
A short-term childcare center that was on a hiatus in Tysons Corner Center has decided not to reopen.
In the spring, Tysons Reporter wrote that Ashburn-based Wishing Tree appeared closed at its spot on the second floor of the mall near Lord & Taylor — the childcare center’s website said it was “reopening in August 2019.”
Now, an employee for Wishing Tree said that the Tysons Corner Center spot was a holiday pop-up that closed sometime around February. Though Wishing Tree had plans to reopen in August, the employee said that it decided not to.
The Tysons Corner spot still has the sign and interior decor, but that won’t last long — the employee said that there are plans to move out of the mall soon.
Writing on the windows indicate that the Tysons location offered Legos, spinning top toys by Beyblades, crafts and board games for kids. When Tysons Reporter peaked through the windows earlier this week, the interior looked sparse and dark.
The Ashburn spot offers care for ages 3-12, according to the website.
Ashley Hopko contributed to this story
A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $93,000 to help the McLean Little League repair damage from flash flooding last month.
One day after the campaign started, people donated more than $18,000 — about a quarter of the $75,000 goal.
While the GoFundMe says 217 people raised $93,823 in 27 days, Shelly Breslin, who started the campaign, told Tysons Reporter that about $112,000 in total was raised.
Breslin said that she has managed fundraisers before for the little league and decided to create the GoFundMe campaign to cover the costs of the damage from the flooding — especially since the little league does not have flood insurance.
Currently, the McLean Little League complex (1836 Westmoreland Street) is closed as it undergoes work rebuilding dugouts, repairing fencing and cleaning up the fields before the fall season starts at the end of August.
Three years ago, the little league started a campaign for recent field improvements, she said.
“The ironic thing is, right before the water came, the McLean Little League closed out and used the money from the campaign,” Breslin said, adding that the funds paid for new batting cages, scoreboards and fencing, which were then damaged in the July flooding. “Many items had just been done in the spring season… We worked so hard over the last three years to get that money.”
Breslin said there was a huge local community response to the GoFundMe campaign from McLean residents to parents and coaches at the little league in Vienna.
“I think it went great,” she said, adding that people from around the country donated as well.
Breslin also said that she was surprised by some of the “big amounts” people donated, which included a $25,000 donation, two $5,000 donations and 20 donations between $1,000-$2,500.
The GoFundMe is now closed because “we raised what we wanted to get,” Breslin said.
“We are overwhelmed by our McLean community and little league community,” she said.
Fairfax County police are investigating a robbery at a 7-Eleven near Tysons Corner Center.
“A man walked behind the counter [and started] taking money and merchandise,” according to a police report.
The incident took place on Friday, Aug. 2, shortly before 9 p.m. at 1931 Old Gallows Road.
“The suspect is described as a black man wearing all black clothing,” police said.
Police said that no one was injured.
Image via Google Maps
(Updated at 4 p.m. 8/6/19) Colleagues are commemorating the woman who died from a hit and run in Falls Church as a loving mother, wife and passionate U.S. State Department employee.
Police said Betty Ana Bernstein-Zabza, a 60-year-old Falls Church resident, died as a result of injuries from the crash, which happened shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Shreve Road and Hickory Street — less than a mile away from her home.
“Detectives from our Crash Reconstruction Unit have preliminarily determined that [Bernstein-Zabza] was walking with a juvenile northbound on a pedestrian pathway adjacent to Shreve Road,” police said. “They entered a crosswalk that connected the pathway to a sidewalk when they were hit by a stolen 2013 Nissan Titan pickup truck.”
A State Department spokesperson told Tysons Reporter that Bernstein-Zabza was a senior advisor in the Bureau of Counterterrorism.
“Ms. Bernstein joined the Department of State on Oct. 1, 1993 and served at overseas posts in Warsaw, Bern and Berlin, as well as several domestic posts,” the spokesperson said.
Jane Zimmerman told Tysons Reporter that she will remember her former work colleague as a loving mother and wife. “Her son was her everything. She cherished every moment with him and was so grateful for her husband as a wonderful father and loving family man,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman also said that Bernstein-Zabza especially loved working on global women’s issues and supporting and mentoring her colleagues at the State Department.
“Her experience from Pakistan to Poland and Germany made her take women’s issues and human rights close to her heart,” Zimmerman said, adding that she was a wise, compassionate and joyful person who “could always make us laugh, especially at ourselves.”
Known for her efforts to empower women, Bernstein-Zabza spoke at several events advocating for providing more tools for women to succeed.
"If women do better countries do better" – Betty Bernstein-Zabza @GenderAtState at today's seminar @CTR_SAIS #DiversifiedInnovation #DKinUSA pic.twitter.com/rVrQpdfEKy
— HelenaMølgaardHansen (@HelenaMoelgaard) June 13, 2017
Betty Bernstein-Zabza: State Dept looking esp at adolescent girls to give them tools and access to help gain foothold #DiversifiedInnovation
— Daniel S. Hamilton (@DanSHamilton) June 13, 2017
Another former work colleague, Marci Hodge, told Tysons Reporter that Bernstein-Zabza “worked so hard for women and girls particular in this world and we all owe her a debt of gratitude for her leadership on these issues.”
Hodge said that Bernstein-Zabza hired her and helped get her started on her “dream job” at the State Department. “I would not be here without her.”
Shakyra McMillon, who was supervised by Zabza in the Office of Global Women’s Issues at the State Department, said that Zabza was “a great leader and you made sure the women and girls priorities were known.”
She said that Bernstein-Zabza was “an inspiring, goal-driven, intelligent, and thoughtful woman,” adding, “Not only were you a great colleague but a wonderful mother!”
Maryum Saifee, who worked with Bernstein-Zabza in the Office of Global Women’s Issues, said that her former colleague “was part of this special crew of rockstar colleagues that represented the very best in public service.”
“She helped bring me into that office by creating a special tour of duty that year — which was bureaucratically not easy, but she fought for me,” Saifee said. “And because of her, I was given a platform to fight for issues I care deeply about and grow professionally as a diplomat.”
Several people also shared memories of Bernstein-Zabza on social media, describing her as a beloved work colleague.
https://twitter.com/michaelduffin/status/1158360597471252481?s=20
Tragic news about a friend and fellow #StateDept employee from #FallsChurch Betty Bernstein-Zabza. We worked together years ago on the Pakistan desk. — "Woman walking on pathway killed by driver in stolen pickup" https://t.co/CaYaebx17c
— Donald Camp 康 普 டானல்ட் ேகம்ப் (@donacamp) August 4, 2019
Police arrested the vehicle’s driver — 46-year-old South Riding resident David Alan Francis — and charged him with one count of felony hit and run. Detectives believe Francis may have been involved in additional criminal events yesterday in both Fairfax County and adjoining jurisdictions.
Since 2009, Francis has faced 30 charges including many traffic-related ones like driving under a revoked or suspended license, operating an insured vehicle, speeding and improper driving, according to court records.
A bouquet of flowers left at Shreve Road and Hickory Street where Betty Bernstein-Zabza was struck and killed Saturday 📷: @VernonAndOn https://t.co/bcipnfLoYp pic.twitter.com/3Wg8BcPi4c
— Catherine Douglas Moran (@c_douglasmoran) August 6, 2019
Photo via Facebook
Some Northern Virginia commuter buses are experiencing delays trying to get to Tysons — or not going there at all.
OmniRide started operating fewer buses on Thursday (Aug. 1) after the union that represents its bus operators rejected to extend the contract, which expired last week, Inside NoVa reported.
While the bus system primarily serves the Prince William County and Manassas areas, some of its routes take riders to and from Tysons.
Five days later, the work stoppage is still impacting bus schedules today (Monday).
More from OmniRide’s modified plan for today:
Our service plan continues to evolve, as a result of the dynamic situation. We will continue to notify passengers of any further changes to service levels as soon as possible.
Ultimately, service levels depend on the number of operators who come to work, so please stay tuned for updates as we learn more, and keep in mind that the service frequencies listed below are approximate and dependent on anticipated operator attendance.
OmniRide will not have Express bus service for Mark Center and Tysons-Woodbridge today. Several other Express buses have also been changed. Fares are free today for OmniRide Express buses that are not running on a regular schedule today.
For people trying to get to Tysons, OmniRide is encouraging people to hop on a Metro Express bus or share a ride.
Let us know if the recent OmniRide bus service changes have impacted you.
Photo via Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission/Facebook
Balboa Steaks and Chickens is no longer at Tysons Corner Center.
The sandwich shop closed about three weeks ago, according to a Facebook message.
Located on the third level, Balboa offered a variety of chicken and steak sandwiches, including barbecue, Chipotle and Philly cheesesteak options.
Photo via Balboa Steaks and Chicken/Facebook
Fairfax County police arrested a McLean summer camp employee for allegedly sexually abusing a child last week.
Police said Cesar Laragaibort worked as a counselor and bus driver at Camp Greenway, a co-ed, summer day camp for kids operated by the Madeira School (8328 Georgetown Pike).
“Detectives were contacted Thursday, Aug. 1, after a child, who is not affiliated with the camp, disclosed being inappropriately touched by Laragaibort,” police said. “Detectives acted swiftly to corroborate the allegation and developed sufficient evidence to make an arrest [Friday.]”
Police said that “initial evidence does not indicate the alleged offense occurred at Camp Greenway or on any school buses but detectives would like to hear from anyone who is concerned their child may have had inappropriate contact with Laragaibort.”
Karen Joostema, the spokesperson for Camp Greenway, told Tysons Reporter that “the police have informed us the incident they are investigating does not involve any camper or the camp in any way.”
Joostema shared the following note, which she said was sent to Camp Greenway families on Saturday (Aug. 3):
Dear Camp Greenway Parents,
We wanted to inform you of some news we learned last evening and today. Police took Mr. Cesar Laragaibort, who was a sports and games specialist and bus driver at Camp Greenway, into custody last evening on aggravated sexual battery charges. The police have informed us that the reason has nothing to do with any Madeira camp, camper, student, school, or bus.
As part of Madeira’s standard hiring procedures and commitment to child safety, we perform background checks on every employee. Law enforcement confirmed this recent incident would not have come up on a background check.
In addition, we want to share that our camp policies and procedures are such that no counselor is alone with an individual camper. As a sports and games specialist, Mr. Laragaibort was in public view, mainly outdoors, with campers and other adults. Safety is a paramount consideration at our camp.
The matter is in the hands of law enforcement and we are fully cooperating with them. If we become aware of any additional relevant information, we will certainly share that with you. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Sarah Merianos
Director of Summer Programs
Police charged 37-year-old Fairfax resident Laragaibort with one count of aggravated sexual battery. Laragaibort is being held without bond at the Adult Detention Center.
Police are asking that anyone with information call the Major Crimes Bureau detectives at 703-246-7800 or submit an anonymous tip by calling 866-411-8477.
Photo via FCPD
