Spike in reports of shots fired in Alexandria, police say

Alexandria police say they are noticing more reports of shots being fired in the city.

On Tuesday night, police were called to a shooting in the 4100 block of Mount Vernon Avenue. An arrest was made in that case.

Shots fired were also reported Tuesday night near Wythe and North Fayette streets, which is an area nearby the Braddock Road Metro station.

Residents say this has been an ongoing problem and they are noticing an uptick in criminal behavior as well.

Mark Steinberg has lived in Alexandria for over 20 years. He recently moved into a new condominium and is experiencing a new problem.

"It is a bit frightening when you hear a gunshot at night," he told us. "It's too bad, but it's not uncommon. It's becoming more frequent I believe."

He is careful about walking his dog at night. He and other residents say the newer development going up in the city is great, but there are still pockets of town where police are keeping a close eye on.

"There have been some gang fights, there have been some physical assaults," said Steinberg. "It's not been all that great, but it doesn't detract from our desire stay in the neighborhood."

Some Alexandria residents are even a bit concerned about walking home at night.

"If I get off at Braddock [Metro station] here, I'll just catch an Uber or something like that just because it gets scary," said Alexandria resident Ashton White. "With the development that is going on around, I think that is bringing a better police presence, so it hasn't been as bad. But a couple years ago, it was way worse than it is now."

Residents say they have seen an increase in patrols recently.

Alexandria police want to emphasize that residents can sign up to receive email alerts about incidents going on in the city. Residents can also follow them on their Facebook page and on Twitter at @AlexandriaVAPD for updates.