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Tag: thomas robertson

  • Driver who veered off I-66 in Northern Virginia, flying onto Metro tracks, charged with reckless driving – WTOP News

    One person was hospitalized Wednesday after a car crashed onto the Metro track near Dunn Loring-Merrifield station, shutting down the Orange Line between West Falls Church and Vienna.

    A driver lost control of his car while traveling on Interstate 66 in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Feb. 11, 2026, and ended up on the Metro tracks.
    (Courtesy Virginia State Police)

    Courtesy Virginia State Police

    police officer looks at mound of snow on highway shoulder with tire tracks from crash
    Tire tracks are seen in a mound of snow on the shoulder of I-66 in Fairfax County, Virginia, where a vehicle lost control and ended up on the neighboring Metro tracks.
    (Courtesy Virginia State Police)

    Courtesy Virginia State Police

    firefighters standing near a car on Metro train tracks
    A car sits on the Metro track near Dunn Loring-Merrifield station in Fairfax County, Virginia, after crashing from Interstate 66 westbound on Feb. 11, 2026.
    (Courtesy WMATA)

    Courtesy WMATA

    close up view of car from side with driver door open sitting on metro tracks
    A driver lost control of his car while traveling on I-66 in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Feb. 11, 2026, and ended up on the Metro tracks.
    (Courtesy Virginia State Police)

    Courtesy Virginia State Police

    One person was hospitalized Wednesday after a car crashed onto the Metro track near Dunn Loring-Merrifield station, shutting down the Orange Line between West Falls Church and Vienna.

    Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units responded to the crash at 11:24 a.m. in the area of Interstate 66 westbound, just before the Cedar Lane overpass. A car traveling on the interstate crashed onto the neighboring Metro tracks, and one person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the department said.

    According to Virginia State Police’s initial investigation, the driver of a Honda Accord reached down to grab his EZ Pass device and ran off the left side of the road, driving onto a mound of snow and ice that acted as a ramp and launched the vehicle airborne, through fencing and onto the tracks.

    The drive sustained minor injuries in the crash and was charged with reckless driving.

    The Orange Line was shut down in both directions between West Falls Church and Vienna for more than two hours. Single tracking between those stations began around 1:40 p.m., according to an update from the transit agency. Riders experienced continued delays.

    The HOV lane of I-66 westbound was also shut down for a time, Fairfax County fire officials said.

    Listen to WTOP Traffic for the latest on roadway conditions.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • First child death reported from flu this season in Virginia – WTOP News

    Flu season has taken a grim turn in Virginia, as the state’s health department has reported the first death of a child caused by complications associated with influenza.

    Flu season has taken a grim turn in Virginia, as the state’s health department has reported the first death of a child caused by complications associated with influenza.

    In order to protect the family’s privacy, the only information the Virginia Department of Health is releasing about the child is that they were age 4 or younger and that the death was reported in the eastern region of the state.

    “We at the Virginia Department of Health, are broken hearted and extend our sympathies to the family of this child during this difficult time,” State Health Commissioner Karen Shelton said in a news release. “Even though the flu is common, it can cause serious illness and even death. I urge everyone who is eligible to receive the flu vaccine to do so not only to protect themselves, but to protect those around them.”

    Lisa Sollot, respiratory disease program coordinator with the state health department, told WTOP it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine.

    “This year, we were afforded a few extra weeks because activity started so late that I think it may have given us a little extra time for those who are may be procrastinating getting the vaccine,” she said. “We know that activity could start increasing at any minute, and so we know that there’s a lot ahead of us in terms of activity.”

    “We do recommend the flu vaccine as the best way to protect yourself and others,” she added.

    Sollot said it’s also important to take precautions, such as staying home when sick, avoiding others when they’re sick, cleaning high-tough surfaces and washing your hands frequently.

    Since COVID-19 came into the picture, Sollot said flu season has become a bit more unpredictable and it’s important for people to remain vigilant.

    “Typically, activity starts in about October, maybe November. And this year, we really didn’t have activity start until about December. And then it climbed rapidly, almost reaching last year’s peak, before also declining quickly, which is strange activity that we haven’t seen in the past,” she said.

    “It has also made us think that this is not necessarily a true decline, and that it is possible that we could see activity surge again in the future, which is why these prevention tips are so important to help protect yourself and your family,” she added.

    According to the state health department, less than 30% of eligible Virginians reported receiving a flu vaccine this season. Those interested in getting a flu shot can locate providers on the department’s website.

    The state health department said the level of respiratory illnesses are considered “moderate” — where over 18.6% of emergency department visits can be attributed to the viral illnesses.

    Last season was the deadliest flu season on record for children in the U.S., according to health officials in Virginia.

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Justice Department sues Virginia over giving in-state tuition to immigrants in country illegally – WTOP News

    The Justice Department is suing Virginia, saying it provides in-state tuition to immigrants lacking permanent legal status in violation of federal law.

    The Justice Department is suing Virginia, saying it provides in-state tuition to immigrants lacking permanent legal status in violation of federal law.

    The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Richmond, seeks to stop the state from enforcing laws that provide in-state tuition and financial assistance to immigrants in the country illegally, which the Justice Department said would bring the state into compliance with federal law.

    It follows two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump that seek to ensure immigrants who do not hold legal status are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. Similar tuition lawsuits have also been filed in Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Oklahoma, Minnesota and California.

    “This is a simple matter of federal law,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.”

    According to the Justice Department’s complaint, laws that allow immigrants without legal status to receive in-state tuition or financial assistance unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced rates or scholarships.

    The complaint cites federal law that states, “an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State … for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit … without regard to whether the citizen or national is such a resident.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Prince George’s Co. Council appoints District 6 member Blegay to vacant at-large seat – WTOP News

    The Prince George’s County Council voted Monday to appoint current District 6 Council member Wala Blegay to the at-large seat previously held by Calvin Hawkins II.

    The Prince George’s County Council voted Monday to appoint current District 6 Council member Wala Blegay to the at-large seat previously held by Calvin Hawkins II, who announced his resignation earlier this month.

    The unanimous vote sets off another appointment process for Blegay’s District 6 seat. Anyone hoping to join the council should submit a statement of interest and a resume online by 5 p.m. Friday. Applicants must be registered voters in Prince George’s County’s District 6 for at least one year.

    Blegay, who was elected to her first term on the council in 2022, told her colleagues Monday she was ready to step into a new role representing all the county’s residents.

    “When it comes to the budget, I’ve worked on that. When it comes to working with relationships in Annapolis, I’ve done that. I’ve done all of those things on the council, and I want to take ‘the peoples’ champ,’ thanking councilman Hawkins for his work, but taking that baton and continuing his work to be the peoples’ champ of all of Prince George’s County,” she said.

    Dozens of others seeking the seat spoke before the council Monday, including former Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh, teachers, social workers and federal government employees.

    “It’s very clear that we have so much talent in Prince George’s County, and I was blown away by some of the experience and ideas of the residents who applied today,” said District 8 Council member Edward Burroughs III, who went on to make the motion to appoint Blegay after hearing from all the candidates.

    Blegay’s term as District 6’s representative on the council was set to expire Dec. 5, 2026. Her term as an at-large member will end on the same date.

    Hawkins stepped away from his at-large seat on the council to take a job as the county’s assistant deputy chief administrative officer for economic development.

    “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the residents of Prince George’s County for the trust and support you’ve shown me throughout my tenure on the Council,” Hawkins said in a news release announcing his resignation. “Serving on this body has been a profound honor, and I take immense pride in what we’ve achieved together.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • How to get tickets for Abigail Spanberger’s inauguration in January – WTOP News

    The inauguration ceremony will be held Saturday, Jan. 17 at noon on the South Portico of the Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond.

    Viewing the inauguration of Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger will be a right reserved for winners of a ticket lottery, her inaugural committee announced Friday.

    The inauguration ceremony will be held Saturday, Jan. 17 at noon on the South Portico of the Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required due to limited seating.

    Those who would like to attend can enter the ticket lottery online, and will be asked to provide their name, phone number, email and mailing address.

    “We will welcome as many Virginians as possible to Capitol Square on January 17,” Spanberger said in a news release. “I am so grateful for the excitement, support, and visions for our future that Virginians across the Commonwealth have shared with me over the last several weeks. I encourage anyone who hopes to celebrate with us next month to enter our ticket lottery.”

    The theme for the inauguration is “United for Virginia’s Future,” which Spanberger’s office said “reflects the collective pride and common goals that will move the Commonwealth forward.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Man in custody after fatal shooting inside Reston home leads to manhunt – WTOP News

    A manhunt has ended Wednesday with police taking a suspect into custody who is accused of killing a man inside a home in Reston, Virginia.

    Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortiz was taken into custody following a manhunt in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Dec. 17, 2025.(Courtesy Fairfax County Police Department)

    A manhunt has ended Wednesday with police taking a suspect into custody who is accused of killing a man inside a home in Reston, Virginia.

    Drones, a helicopter and K-9s scoured a neighborhood in search of a man who Fairfax County police allege was behind the shooting.

    Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez, 23, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon and a gun was recovered at the scene, according to a social media post from police.

    Police Chief Kevin Davis said the suspect fatally shot another man inside a home in the 12300 block of Fan Shell Court, then fled the area on a bicycle. That neighborhood is near the intersection of the Dulles Access Road and Fairfax County Parkway.

    Morales-Ortez’s last known address was the home where the shooting took place in a neighborhood near the intersection of the Dulles Access Road and Fairfax County Parkway.

    Police believe the man who was killed lived in the home, Davis said.

    “They probably have resided in the same house, either now or at some time in the past before,” Davis said during a news conference. “So logically, to assume that they know each other and are familiar with each other is a safe bet to make.”

    There’s no word yet on motive.

    The man who was fatally shot has not been identified, Davis said.

    At the time of the news conference, Davis said police were working to get an arrest warrant for Morales-Ortez.

    A suspect leaves on a bike — prompting a manhunt

    Before police found Morales-Ortez, Davis said, “We need to put handcuffs on a person who just shot and killed another human being inside of a home in this residential community, and that’s what we’re working really hard to do.”

    Police released on social media a picture of Morales-Ortez and cast a “wide net” in their search, Davis said.

    The police chief said Morales-Ortez was considered “armed and dangerous.”

    Five Fairfax County Public Schools in the area were placed on “secure the building” status as police searched for Morales-Ortez, the school system told WTOP in a statement. That means students and staff were asked to remain inside those schools and dismissals were delayed until police could determine it’s safe.

    WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Winter forecast is here: How much snow will fall this winter in the DC area? – WTOP News

    The D.C. area is in for an average to below-average winter of snowfall and slightly milder temperatures than normal, according to the winter forecast from 7News.

    D.C. and its close-in suburbs are projected to get about 10 to 15 inches of snow, with more snow possible in Southern Maryland and farther north and west of D.C. (Courtesy 7News First Alert Weather Center)

    The D.C. area is in for an average to below-average winter of snowfall and just slightly milder temperatures than normal, according to the winter forecast from WTOP’s partners in the 7News First Alert Weather Center.

    The seasonal average snowfall in D.C. is 13.7 inches, and First Alert Weather is forecasting between 10 and 15 inches for the District and the close-in suburbs.

    A bit farther north and west, in places such as Frederick, Maryland, and Leesburg, Virginia, First Alert Weather is anticipating between 15-20 inches of snowfall. The forecast also projects 15-20 inches for Southern Maryland.

    The slightly below-average projection is driven by La Niña, which can also make things hard to predict in the mid-Atlantic region. The La Niña pattern typically affects the jet stream in a way that leads to more precipitation in northern parts of the U.S. and warmer and drier conditions in the South.

    But that’s not always the case, and D.C. is positioned right in the middle.

    a graphic of a map of the U.S. with weather pattern trends
    La Niña’s weather pattern typically means more precipitation in northern regions of the U.S., and warmer and drier conditions in the South — but not always. (Courtesy 7News First Alert Weather Center)

    Just last winter, with a La Niña pattern in effect, D.C. got an above-average 14.9 inches of snow.

    “It doesn’t take very much in terms of fluctuation of weather patterns, a jet stream that’s maybe a little more south of there, to give us that wet weather. And what we’re looking at then this year … is going with conditions that were similar to last year,” 7News First Alert Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson said.

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    Winter forecast is here: How much snow will fall this winter in the DC area?

    As was the case last winter, it only takes one big storm to drastically change D.C.’s snowfall totals.

    So when might that happen? Johnson said don’t hold your breath for a white Christmas, though there could be a smattering of snow.

    The First Alert Weather Center is forecasting 2-3 inches of snow for the month of December, which historically sees less snowfall in the mid-Atlantic.

    The main event may come in January, as it did last year when a storm during the first full week of the new year dumped up to 10 inches in parts of the D.C. region.

    “Coastal storms during this time could give us all of that in one big storm. So it’s really something that we’re going to have to watch, especially with the position of the jet stream,” Johnson said. “But if that jet (stream) comes in and hugs the coast, and you’ve got some coastal storms that are tracking right along it up the coast, that could be your 5-10 inches in one storm during the month of January. And I do think that it’s still going to be active during the month of February.”

    Johnson said her team is projecting 3-7 inches of snowfall in February.

    “It’s a pattern that fits kind of a slow start, but a pretty good finish,” she said.

    As far as temperatures, the First Alert Weather Center said it may shape up to be a slightly milder winter than normal. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be cold snaps.

    graphic of predicted temperatures month by month in winter in D.C.
    Temperatures are projected to be just above normal this winter. (Courtesy 7News First Alert Weather Center)

    “All it takes is these cold stretches during the winter,” Johnson said. “Overall, the temperatures can average out slightly higher, but with a couple of cold stretches embedded during the month of January and February, we can get that snowfall.”

    And if La Niña neutralizes toward the end of winter, that could mean more precipitation during the month of February.

    “The other thing we’re going to have to watch this winter too is the potential to get some storms, unlike last year, that have a bit more freezing rain at the beginning or at the tail end,” Johnson said.

    While there’s plenty of data to provide a road map, Johnson pointed out that forecasting is not an exact science and winter can be full of surprises.

    “If there was some magical ball that we could look at to come up with a forecast, boy, I sure would be using that to win the lottery,” she said. “So it is not set in stone. I would say at this point, it’s a forecast, it’s somewhere around 65% to 70% confidence factor in it with a winter that has yet to start.”

    Meteorological winter begins Dec. 1.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Election Day kicks off in Va. with high stakes races for governor, attorney general – WTOP News

    Polls are open in Virginia in an election to decide the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House of Delegates and local offices across the commonwealth.

    Polls are open in Virginia in an election to decide the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House of Delegates and local offices across the commonwealth.

    Observers across the nation have their eyes on Tuesday’s election to determine if the results indicate momentum toward one party or the other heading into next year’s midterm elections, which will decide the balance of power in Congress.

    Virginia’s race for governor has pitted the current Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

    There’s plenty of intrigue in the commonwealth’s other statewide races, too. Democrat Ghazala Hashmi and Republican John Reid are vying to be Virginia’s next lieutenant governor in a race that’s shaping up to be the closest of the statewide contests.

    And the race that’s grabbed the most headlines in recent weeks is the one for attorney general, after texts sent by Democratic nominee Jay Jones surfaced in which Jones hypothesized about shooting a political rival.

    That controversy has opened the door to the possibility of a split administration, as Spanberger is favored in the governor’s race, but the controversy has propelled incumbent Attorney General and Republican Jason Miyares to a lead in many polls to retain his position.

    All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are also on the ballot, though some are not contested. Democrats have a slim 51-48 majority headed into Tuesday, with one current vacancy.

    Democrats also carry a majority in the Virginia State Senate; the 40 seats in the upper chamber are on the ballot in 2027.

    Before Election Day, hundreds of thousands of Virginians voted early. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, a record number of early ballots were cast for a non-presidential election in Virginia.

    What to know about casting a ballot

    Polls close at 7 p.m. Anyone in line to vote at that time will still be able to do so.

    All voters need to provide an acceptable form of ID, sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls or vote with a provisional ballot. Those who vote a provisional ballot will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of their ID to their jurisdiction’s election board or sign a confirmation statement in order for their ballot to be counted.

    list of acceptable forms of ID is available online.

    The deadline to register to vote or to update voter registration has passed. Voters can view what’s on their ballot and find the location of their polling place on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

    WTOP will report results live as soon as they start coming in shortly after the polls close.

    Voters hit the polls

    Chelsea Lamm went to the polls early Tuesday morning and said helping others in need was top on her mind.

    “Just how can we be fair and think about everybody instead of just ourselves and what our own religious beliefs are,” she said.

    Voter Matthew Ziegler said he had several big topics on his mind when walking into the voting booth Tuesday.

    “The general safety of the population, unnecessary taxes, the car tax, that’s been ridiculous for years to be honest, and other issues of course the economy in mind as well across the entire state,” he said.

    Nader Chaaban said taxes were a big issue for him as he stepped up to vote.

    “Honestly I wish that they would get rid of the car tax, that’s a killer right there,” Chaaban said. “You pay a property tax, you pay a food tax, you pay for everything and then they come back and they tax you on the car that you’ve already paid taxes on,” he said.

    Voting in the historic Virginia governor’s race

    Lamm said when it comes to the governor’s race, she’s made up her mind.

    “I’m definitely voting Spanberger … especially as we’re seeing the government shutdown and SNAP benefits come into question for a lot of folks whether you’re voting Republican or Democrat, and so just how can I vote to take care of other people,” she said.

    Ziegler said, for governor, he’s voting, “Winsome-Sears, she has a lot of great leadership qualities, confidence, she knows what she’s talking about and is concerned about all of the safety issues and especially with the economy she really stood out to me this year.”

    When it comes to the government shutdown, Ziegler said he trusts Winsome-Sears to get the state through the difficult times.

    “I think that will be something that she’ll definitely work on and sway to connect across the entire population of Virginia,” Ziegler said.

    Chaaban said Spanberger “to a certain extent appeals to some of the things that I believe in and one of them honestly is looking at the educational system and supporting it and helping teachers, helping the school system.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • 89-year-old who fatally shot wife while she was sleeping pleads guilty to manslaughter – WTOP News

    An 89-year-old man who shot his wife multiple times while she was sleeping in a recliner chair at their Chantilly home, killing her, pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

    An 89-year-old man who shot his wife multiple times from close range while she was sleeping in a recliner chair at their Fairfax County, Virginia, home, killing her, pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter and weapons charges.

    Douglas Sommer faces a total of 15 years in prison in the killing of Marilyn Sommer, who was 87 at the time of her death in February. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and unlawful discharge of a firearm and is scheduled for sentencing Jan. 9.

    According to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, Douglas took his .32 caliber Herstal 1922 pistol and went into the den of his home on Pennypacker Lane, where Marilyn was sleeping in the recliner. He pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger five times, striking her several times in her head and chest, Descano’s office said in a news release.

    When first responders arrived, prosecutors said, Douglas calmly stated he killed his wife. Their daughter, who was at the family home to help her parents move into an assisted living facility, later told police her father did not want to move.

    “Marilyn Sommer’s long life ended in her own home, at the hands of her own husband,” Descano said in a news release. “This is a tragic outcome for the whole Sommer family.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • PHOTOS: Relive RFK Stadium’s greatest moments, from the gridiron to Beatlemania – WTOP News

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Loudoun Co. man accused of threatening Virginia state delegate’s life – WTOP News

    A man has been charged with threatening to kill state Del. Geary Higgins, who represents parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties.

    A Purcellville, Virginia, man has been charged with threatening to kill state Del. Geary Higgins.

    Higgins, a Republican, represents Virginia’s 30th House District in the General Assembly, which covers parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties.

    Patrick Daniel Murphy is charged with threatening to kill Geary via text message.

    Fauquier Now first reported that, according to Higgins’ office, the Aug. 26 message read, “F— off Geary. I will shoot u @ yer next public rally. Then send you memes with the photos. I know where your f—in kids are too.”

    In an arrest warrant obtained by WTOP, Murphy received a text message by Higgins’ campaign “about a political topic,” to which he responded with the threat to shoot Higgins and his family members.

    “Let me be clear: threats of violence have no place in our political discourse. I will not be intimidated, silenced, or deterred from doing the job I was elected to do — fighting for my constituents in Western Loudoun and Fauquier, and standing up for common sense,” Higgins said in a statement.

    Murphy was charged with a threat in writing, a Class 6 felony which is punishable of up to five years in prison.

    “Unfortunately, this is the direct result of the nasty lies and constant demonization from the radical left that we’ve seen over the last few years. Abigail Spanberger is telling her supporters to ‘let their rage fuel them,’ and my opponent is up on TV right now calling me a crook and a treasonist, and blatantly lying about my record,” Higgins said in a statement. “The last two sessions in Richmond we’ve been called every name under the sun.”

    Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin added in a post on social media, “Two Republican Delegates received death threats just this past week. It must stop. Enough.” He was referring to Virginia state Del. Kim Taylor, of Petersburg, who received a death threat over text on Thursday.

    Higgins is facing a challenge from Democrat John McAuliff in November’s election.

    The threat came not long after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on a college campus in Utah.

    Murphy is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 20.

    WTOP’s Jimmy Alexander contributed to this report.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Brother charged with strangling, killing 8 month-old sister in Leesburg; ICE detainer filed – WTOP News

    An 8-month-old girl died Tuesday after she was strangled in Leesburg and the man charged in her death faces an immigration detainer and additional charges, including murder, police said.

    An 8-month-old girl died Tuesday after she was strangled last week in Leesburg, Virginia, and the man charged in her death faces an immigration detainer and additional charges, including murder, according to police.

    Alvaro Mejia Ayala, now 22, was arrested and charged with strangulation Sept. 17, the day he’s accused of choking his baby sister, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

    Leesburg police are not releasing the child’s identity at the request of the family.

    Officers responded to Hancock Place NE in Leesburg around 10 a.m. on Sept. 17 for a call involving an infant in medical distress. Despite extensive efforts from first responders and medical professionals to save her life, the child died just after midnight on Tuesday.

    Ayala left the scene before officers arrived, according to Leesburg Police Chief Thea Pirnat, but was found several hours later and will face additional charges, including murder. He is currently being held at the county’s detention center.

    “The entire process may take several months and this is considered a very active investigation,” Pirnat said during a news conference Tuesday. “Let me be clear, this was not an accident. A child was murdered in a deliberate act. The Leesburg Police Department and our criminal justice partners are fully committed to ensuring that the person responsible is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Police did not release additional details about the circumstances of the child’s death.

    “We will continue to provide information when it is legally and ethically appropriate to do so, but we will not be prematurely releasing details that could compromise the integrity of this investigation or derail the pursuit of justice,” Pirnat said.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also issued an immigration detainer for Ayala, according to Pirnat, which requests the jail to hold him for 48 hours longer than the time he’d be released so ICE can take him into federal custody.

    In a news release, the Department of Homeland Security said Ayala entered the U.S. with his family in 2016 from El Salvador and that his immigration case was dismissed in October 2024.

    “The death of a child is an unbearable loss, and this one has deeply affected the involved family, our community and every first responder that was called to help,” Pirnat said.

    Ayala is expected in court in November.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Northern Virginia tech contractor to pay $1M in restitution for wage theft – WTOP News

    The CEO of a Chantilly-based government contractor will pay $1 million in restitution after pleading guilty in Fairfax County’s largest-ever wage theft case.

    The CEO of a Chantilly-based government contractor will pay over $1 million in restitution to eight former employees after pleading guilty in Fairfax County, Virginia’s largest-ever wage theft case, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said Monday.

    Thomas Burns was the CEO of SP Global, which specialized in technology implementation. Starting in October 2020, the company stopped paying its 40-plus workers.

    According to a news release from Descano’s office, Burns and other executives promised for months that payment and backpay was coming, saying there were issues with international banking regulations and travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.

    Employees worked without pay for months, consoled by those promises, Descano said, before eventually quitting without ever being compensated.

    The company defrauded 42 workers of more than $5 million, Descano said. Eight workers chose to be included in the county’s restitution agreement totaling $1,070,429.21, while the other 34 chose to proceed with a lawsuit, which is pending.

    “Stealing is stealing, and financial crimes can be just as devastating for victims’ families — those who don’t get paid can miss rent or mortgage payments, putting their safety and security at risk,” Descano said in a news release.

    Burns was also sentenced to four years in prison, with one year suspended. He pleaded guilty to two counts of wage theft of more than $10,000 and one county of conspiracy to commit wage theft.

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  • 3 arrested and charged with arson in Arlington apartment fire – WTOP News

    Three men have been arrested and charged with arson in a May apartment fire in Arlington, Virginia, that affected more than 30 occupants.

    Three men have been arrested and charged with arson in a May apartment fire in Arlington, Virginia, that affected more than 30 occupants and caused two injuries, county fire officials announced Friday.

    The fire happened on May 15 at the garden style apartments at 1020 S. Quebec St. and “resulted in 32 occupants being affected,” according to a news release from the Arlington County Fire Department’s Office of the Fire Marshal.

    The fire trapped several people, who had to be brought down by ladders, and at least two people inside were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation injuries.

    Fire officials said they found evidence at the scene that indicated the fire was “suspicious in nature.” After a monthslong investigation, three men were arrested.

    Marvin Adelso Hernandez Lopez, 18, is charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, and fake ID and firearms related charges. Both Wilmer Agustin De Leon, 20, and Erasbiel Flores, 22, are charged with arson and conspiracy to commit arson.

    All three men are being held without bond in the Arlington County jail.

    The investigation is active and ongoing and those with information is asked to contact Arlington police at 703-228-4180, or submit an anonymous tip at 866-411-8477.

    Below is a map of the area where the apartment fire took place:

    (Courtesy Google Maps)

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  • Arlington, Fairfax school systems sue Education Department over funding freeze tied to gender policies – WTOP News

    The lawsuits come after the Education Department requested Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, and three other Northern Virginia school districts to change their policies that allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity, rather than their biological sex.

    Arlington and Fairfax counties’ public school districts are suing the Department of Education in an effort to protect their federal funding from being frozen in retaliation for the school systems’ gender policies surrounding the use of bathrooms and locker rooms.

    The lawsuits come after the Education Department requested Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, and three other Northern Virginia school districts to change their policies that allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity, rather than their biological sex.

    The school systems refused, and the Education Department responded by placing them on “high-risk” status, meaning the department will scrutinize their federal reimbursement requests.

    In their complaints, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Arlington and Fairfax county schools are seeking to have that status reversed. The school districts say tens of millions of dollars for critical services for students are on the line.

    “These federal funds are not abstract numbers on a spreadsheet; they represent vital support for our most vulnerable children. This funding supports our food and nutrition services, services for our students with disabilities, students from low-income families, and programs that promote teacher development and student achievement across the division,” Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid said in a letter addressed to staff and families.

    “The DOE’s ‘high-risk’ designation unfairly harms tens of thousands of our students by threatening these essential services,” Reid continued.

    FCPS said in a statement up to $167 million in federal funding has been essentially frozen.

    In his letter to the Arlington Public Schools community, Superintendent Francisco Durán said the Education Department’s “high-risk” designation effectively halts $23 million in funding that the school district relies on.

    That funding, Durán said, is mainly used to provide more than 8,000 low-income students with free meals and thousands of special needs students with counseling and other educational support.

    In its complaint filed Friday, Arlington Public Schools asserts the Education Department’s funding freeze violates Title IX, the Administrative Procedures Act and the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The school system also said the department is incorrectly interpreting Title IX.

    Fairfax County schools state, in its complaint also filed Friday, that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s ruling in Grimm v. Gloucester County School board binds the school system. In that decision, FCPS wrote, the Fourth Circuit ruled that the Equal Protection Clause and Title IX compel local school boards to provide students with access to facilities that correspond with their gender identity.

    This week, Reid said in her letter that her school system reached out to the Education Department, “to address the impossible position that the DOE has placed on our school division — whether to violate a federal court ruling regarding the support of our transgender students or risk this critical funding. The DOE did not respond.”

    Durán said he expects a judge to hear the case quickly and issue an order that will preserve federal funding.

    WTOP has reached out to the Department of Education for comment.

    The Washington Post first reported the lawsuit.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.

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  • MS-13 member charged in Sterling double homicide, Loudoun sheriff says – WTOP News

    MS-13 member charged in Sterling double homicide, Loudoun sheriff says – WTOP News

    A man who authorities say is a known MS-13 gang member was arrested and charged in connection with an August double homicide that occurred in Sterling, Virginia.

    A man who authorities say is a known MS-13 gang member was arrested and charged in connection with an August double homicide that occurred in Sterling, Virginia.

    Marlyn Medrano-Ortiz, 18, was arrested Wednesday evening in Alexandria after officers there recognized him from a bulletin that Loudoun County deputies shared with other law enforcement agencies, Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said during a news conference Friday.

    “When you commit a crime like this in Loudoun County, we’re not going to stop. We’re going to do whatever it takes to get these people behind bars, and we just want to make sure we’re doing everything in our power to keep our citizens safe,” Chapman said.

    Medrano-Ortiz, who Chapman said was in the country illegally, is charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

    The charges stem from the Aug. 28 killing of two 22-year-olds: Mijal Conejero-Romera, of Sterling, and Diego Alexander Woollett, of Arlington. Deputies found the two, who were friends, shot alongside a wooden fence at an office park on Ridgetop Circle.

    Investigators said the shooting happened following an argument inside a nearby apartment complex in the 21000 block of Huntington Square.

    Currently, Medrano-Ortiz faces one count of murder, but additional charges may be coming, and authorities said they are still looking into the possibility that others were involved in the friends’ killings.

    Medrano-Ortiz will appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m.

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  • Montgomery Co. schools abandoned SROs 2 years ago. The schools’ security chief says new policies aren’t clear enough – WTOP News

    Montgomery Co. schools abandoned SROs 2 years ago. The schools’ security chief says new policies aren’t clear enough – WTOP News

    Montgomery County Public Schools moved away from school resource officers two years ago in favor of “community engagement officers.” So how’s it going?

    From vaping, the cost of school supplies to cellphone policies, the WTOP team is studying up on hot-button topics in education across the D.C. region. Follow on air and online in our series “WTOP Goes Back to School” this August and September.

    Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland moved away from school resource officers two years ago in favor of community engagement officers, or police officers with specific training who are assigned to a high school and patrol nearby, rather than inside the school.

    The community engagement officers are meant to work with the school and respond to certain incidents inside the schools. They’re even allowed to have an office space inside their school, but they don’t roam the school throughout the day like a traditional SRO.

    When Montgomery County schools entered into a memorandum of understanding establishing the community engagement officer program with a number of law enforcement agencies who operate in the county, Marcus Jones was chief of the Montgomery County Police Department.

    Now, he’s on the other side of the agreement, as MCPS’ chief of security and compliance, and he told WTOP he’s looking to improve the program.

    “I know for a fact that there’s been some confusion on some folks who are engaged in the process of really understanding what their roles are. So we want to make sure that is very clear,” Jones said.


    More Back-to-School stories


    The memorandum of understanding between the school system and law enforcement agencies lays out certain “critical incidents” in which the community engagement officer needs to be involved, such as death, rape, gang-related incidents and drug distribution.

    However, Jones said that’s not the only time these officers should be in schools. While they aren’t meant to patrol the halls, he said they shouldn’t be afraid to step foot in the building.

    “I think there’s been some angst about them actually being in the schools,” Jones said. “We do want to make sure that they have the ability to liaison with the school administrators and the security teams to make sure that information is being shared, and they have that face-to-face interaction with staff as needed.”

    Jones also said that in some cases, high schools have either not provided office space to their officer per the memorandum, or the officers haven’t been utilizing space made available to them.

    Making matters more confusing for the school system, Montgomery County’s police department is one of five law enforcement agencies involved in the program. The sheriff’s department, as well as Rockville, Gaithersburg and Takoma Park police, are also part of the memorandum of understanding.

    “That’s why it’s important that we’re collaborating and bringing everyone together to make sure that there’s clarity in the agreement,” Jones said.

    While he doesn’t have any specific changes ready to make to the memorandum of understanding, Jones said that in his first two months with MCPS, he’s now experienced the program from both sides and is ready to get everyone on the same page.

    “There was confusion, and there was sort of a lack of collaboration, you might say, between the two systems coming together to make sure that we were doing what was set out to do. So that’s where I’m going to really work hard at trying to clear the air there in order for everyone to clearly understand the intent and what is the MOU — what does it state, and what’s permitted and what’s not permitted — so that there’s clarity there as well,” he said.

    WTOP’s Dick Uliano contributed to this report.

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  • Ashburn man charged with murder after his father was shot dead – WTOP News

    Ashburn man charged with murder after his father was shot dead – WTOP News

    An Ashburn man faces a murder charge after his father was shot dead Friday, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said.

    An Ashburn, Virginia, man faces a murder charge after his father was shot dead Friday, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said.

    Deputies responded to a report of a shooting in the 22000 block of Leanne Terrace at about 6:30 p.m. That’s where they found Jerome Edward Thompson, 50, of Ashburn, shot dead.

    The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said Thompson’s son, Jerome Edward Thompson Jr., 19, was taken into custody shortly afterward by deputies.

    Thompson Jr. is charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

    The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who saw what happened or has any information related to the shooting to contact Detective Schmidt at 703-777-1021, or submit anonymous information by calling 703-777-1919 or by using the sheriff’s app.

    A map of where the deadly shooting happened is below:

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  • Police release images of suspect in fatal Columbia Mall shooting – WTOP News

    Police release images of suspect in fatal Columbia Mall shooting – WTOP News

    Police in Howard County, Maryland, have released new images of a suspect in the late-July shooting at The Mall in Columbia that left a 17-year-old dead.

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    Police release video of suspect in fatal Columbia Mall shooting

    Police in Howard County, Maryland, have released new images of a suspect in the late-July shooting at The Mall in Columbia that left a 17-year-old dead.

    Angelo Little, of Columbia, was killed on July 27 after exiting a bathroom inside the mall. Police are asking for help in identifying Little’s killer and have increased the reward for information to $7,500.

    In video shared by the Howard County Police Department Monday, the shooter can be seen running through the halls of the mall while wearing a dark mask and a hoodie.

    According to the police department, which has reviewed “hundreds of hours of footage” from the mall, the suspect can be seen sitting in the food court with his head down until Little walks toward the bathroom hallway. Then, the suspect gets up and follows Little, waiting for him to exit the bathroom before firing one fatal shot from behind.

    Little was pronounced dead at the scene and police found a gun on him, police said in a news release. Little was also shot in April 2023 and no one was arrested in that case. Police said it’s unclear whether the two shootings are related.

    Police said that witnesses described the suspect as a young male in his teens or 20s with a small stature.

    Howard County police are asking anyone who lives near the mall to check their doorbell camera footage from the day of the shooting for anything that might help the investigation. The shooting happened around 6:10 p.m.

    Anyone with information should contact police at 410-313-STOP or email the department. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

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  • When to watch the DC-area athletes competing in the Paris Olympics – WTOP News

    When to watch the DC-area athletes competing in the Paris Olympics – WTOP News

    Phoebe Bacon — Swimming

    Phoebe Bacon is a 21-year-old swimmer from Chevy Chase, Maryland, who will be competing in the women’s 200 backstroke during the Paris Games.

    Bacon graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda and went on to swim collegiately for the University of Wisconsin, where she won national championships in the 200 backstroke in 2021 and 2024.

    Even at the young age of 21, this isn’t Bacon’s first rodeo at the Olympics. She competed in the Tokyo Games, coming in fifth place in the 200 backstroke. In 2022, she won a silver medal in the same event during the World Championships. She’s looking to add her first Olympic medal to her trophy case this summer.

    Competition: Women’s 200-meter backstroke

    • Prelims: Aug. 1 — finished second, 2:09
    • Semifinals: Aug. 1 — finished first, 2:07.32
    • Finals: Aug. 2 — finished fourth, 2:05.61

    Aaron Brooks — Wrestling

    Aaron Brooks is a 23-year-old rising wrestling star from Hagerstown, Maryland, who made a statement this spring when he took down the reigning Olympic gold medalist to qualify for his first Summer Games.

    A four-time collegiate national champion at Penn State, Brooks defeated 2020 Tokyo gold medalist David Taylor not once, but twice in the U.S. Olympics Trials 190 lb. category to secure his spot on the Paris roster.

    Brooks did his high school wrestling at North Hagerstown High School, winning four national titles, four Maryland state titles and compiling a 163-2 record over four years.

    Brooks looks to continue his dominance during his debut at the Olympics in Paris.

    Competition: Freestyle 86-kilogram

    • Semifinals, Aug. 8, 12:30 p.m.
    • Finals, Aug. 8, 2:30 p.m.

    Claire Collins — Rowing

    Claire Collins is a 27-year-old rower from McLean, Virginia. She attended Washington Episcopal School in Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to the Deerfield, Massachusetts, area and attending Deerfield High School. Taking her rowing talents to Princeton University, Collins became a decorated collegiate athlete. In 2019, her senior year, she was a First Team All-American, First-Team All-Ivy League and received the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award, which is awarded annually to a Princeton senior woman, “of high scholastic rank who has demonstrated general proficiency in athletics and the qualities of a true sportswoman.”

    On the international stage, Collins finished fourth in the four (a boat with four athletes each rowing with one oar) at the 2023 World Rowing Championships and won gold in the four at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II.

    She’s also no stranger to the Olympics. Collins competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games, coming in seventh in the four. This summer, she’ll compete in the women’s four or eight.

    Competition: Women’s Eight

    • Preliminary Heats — July 29, 6 a.m. (2nd in their heat. Heads to repechage)
    • Repêchages — Aug. 1., 4 a.m. (1st in Repechage 1. Heads to the finals)
    • Finals — Aug. 3, 4:50 a.m.

    Greg Duncan — Diving

    Diver Greg Duncan, 25, hails from Oakton, Virginia, and is representing Team USA in the Men’s Synchronized 3-meter Springboard diving competition.

    Duncan is making his Olympic debut in Paris after a fourth-place finish in the 2023 World Championships in the same event.

    A James Madison High School graduate, Duncan went on to compete for and graduate from Purdue University. Duncan is competing in the synchronized diving competition with his former college teammate Tyler Downs.

    Competition: Men’s Synchronized 3-meter Springboard

    • Final — Aug. 2 (Finished 8th)

    Kevin Durant — Basketball

    For D.C.-area sports fans, Kevin Durant needs no introduction.

    The 35-year-old basketball superstar played high school ball at National Christian Academy, Oak Hill Academy and Montrose Christian School. Durant is a two-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and has racked up a lengthy list of accolades throughout his collegiate and NBA career.

    Durant has also enjoyed tremendous success at the international level as the highest-scoring player in men’s Olympic basketball history.

    In Paris, Durant will be looking to become the only men’s basketball player with four gold medals.

    Competition: Men’s Basketball

    • 110-84 win vs. Serbia (group play) — July 28
    • 103-86 win vs. South Sudan (group play) — July 31
    • 104-83 win vs. Puerto Rico (group play) — Aug. 3
    • vs. Brazil (Quarterfinals) — Aug. 6, 3:30 p.m.

    Emily Fox — Soccer

    Emily Fox is a 25-year-old defender for the U.S. women’s national soccer team from Ashburn, Virginia.

    Fox attended Stone Bridge High School and ended up taking her talents to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a first-team All-ACC selection her junior year. After recovering from an ACL tear during her college career, she was taken No. 1 overall in the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League Draft.

    The outside back is making her first Olympic appearance in Paris, and made her World Cup debut in 2023. According to U.S. Soccer, she has elite speed and one-on-one abilities.

    Competition: Women’s Soccer

    • 3-0 win vs. Zambia (group play) — July 25
    • 4-1 win vs. Germany (group play) — July 28
    • 2-1 win vs. Australia (group play) — July 31
    • 1-0 win vs. Japan (Quarterfinals) —  Aug. 3
    • vs. Germany (Semifinals) — Aug. 6, 12 p.m.

    Erin Gemmell — Swimming

    Erin Gemmell is a 19-year-old swimmer from Potomac, Maryland, and will be competing in her first Olympic Games in Paris in the women’s 200-meter freestyle as well as part of the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay team.

    Gemmell attended Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and swam for the Nation’s Capital Swim Club. Now a rising sophomore at the University of Texas, she’s already a two-time individual Big 12 champion and an All-American.

    While she’ll be looking to add an Olympic medal to her list of accolades, Gemmell’s trophy case already includes two gold medals from the 2019 World Junior Championships and a silver medal from the 2023 World Championships in the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay, the same event she’ll be competing in at the Summer Games.

    Competition:

    • 200-meter freestyle prelims: July 28 — finished sixth
    • 4×200 freestyle prelims: Aug. 1 — Finished first, 7:52.720
    • 4×200 freestyle finals: Aug. 1 — Finished second, 7:40.86 (Silver Medal)

    Jahmal Harvey — Boxing

    Jahmal Harvey is a 21-year-old boxer from Oxon Hill, Maryland. Harvey grew up playing football and was introduced to boxing by his youth football coach, who also coached boxing. At the age of just 18, Harvey became the first American man to win an elite world title since 2007, according to USA Boxing. Harvey has also racked up multiple gold medals at USA Boxing National Championships at the junior, youth and elite levels.

    Harvey qualified for the 2024 Games by winning gold at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023. This summer, he will represent his country and Prince George’s County in the Olympics for the first time.

    Competition: Men’s Boxing (57-kilogram)

    • Round of 16 vs. Luiz Gabriel Oliveira (Brazil) — July 31 (Harvey wins by split decision)
    • Quarterfinals vs. Munarbek Seitbek uulu (Kyrgyzstan) — Aug. 3 (Seitbek uulu wins by split decision)

    Kat Holmes — Fencing

    Kat Holmes is a 30-year-old fencer from D.C. and a graduate of, you guessed it, Princeton University.

    Holmes graduated from National Cathedral School in D.C. and is considered the veteran of the D.C.-area’s trio of Olympic fencers, as this summer will mark her third Olympic Games.

    At Princeton, Holmes was a four-time All-American and finished second at the NCAA Championships her senior year in épée fencing. In 2018, Holmes was part of the history-making U.S. women’s épée team that won both the Senior World Championship and Senior World Cup gold medal.

    Holmes will serve as a reserve on this summer’s women’s épée team.

    Competition: Women’s Épée Team (U.S. finished 7th)

    • Table of 8 vs. Poland — July 30
    • Classification rounds —  July 30 (Placement 5-8)
    • Semifinals — July 30 (Placement 7-8, eliminated)

    Hadley Husisian — Fencing

    Hadley Husisian is a fencer from Oakton, Virginia, and attends Princeton University.

    Husisian was inspired to start fencing by the Nickelodeon show iCarly and eventually began training at the Elite Fencing Academy in Springfield.

    An épée fencer, Husisian obtained the world No. 1 ranking as a junior women’s fencer in 2022 and won the Junior Women’s Épée World Championship that year.

    During her first year at Princeton, Husisian earned All-American recognition, winning a 2023 NCAA Regional Champion and placing third at the NCAA Championships.

    Husisian will make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games.

    Competition:

    • Women’s Épée Individual — July 27, 5:15 a.m.
      • Table of 32 vs. Paulia Brunner (Switzerland) — 12-11, 19:33
      • Table of 16 vs. Kong Man Wai Vivian (Hong Kong) — 12-15, 14:17 (eliminated)
    • Women’s Épée Team (U.S. finished 7th)
      • Table of 8 vs. Poland — July 30, 7:30 a.m.
      • Classification rounds —  July 30, 9 a.m. (Placement 5-8)
      • Semifinals — July 30, 9:50 a.m. (Placement 7-8)

    Torri Huske — Swimming

    Torri Huske is a 21-year-old swimmer from Arlington, Virginia, who punched her ticket to Paris during swimming trials in the women’s 100 butterfly, an event in which she’s the former American record holder.

    Huske began swimming around age 5 and swam for the Arlington Aquatic Club and Yorktown High School.

    Even though she’s just 21, Huske will be competing in her second Olympics this summer, having taken home a silver medal during the Tokyo Games in the women’s 4×100 medley relay.

    She’s also a six-time World Junior Championships medalist and swims for Stanford University.

    Having qualified second in the final of women’s 100 fly trials, Huske will be a favorite to take home her first Olympic gold.

    Competition:

    • Women’s 100m butterfly: July 27 — finished first, 55.59 (Gold Medal)
    • Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final: July 27 — finished second, 3:30.20 (Silver Medal)
    • Women’s 100m freestyle prelims: July 30 — finished third, 53.53
    • Women’s 100m freestyle finals: July 31 — finished second, 52.29 (Silver Medal)

    Weini Kelati — Track

    Weini Kelati won a national title in the 10,000 meter dash, and will represent the United States at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

    Kelati, an Eritrean-born runner, achieved multiple victories in state and national-level competitions while attending Heritage High School in Leesburg, Virginia.

    The 27-year-old ran for the University of New Mexico’s Lobos, where she became an NCAA champion for the outdoor track and field contests finishing the 10,000 meter in 33 minutes 10 seconds.

    Competition:

    • Women’s 10,000 meter dash finals: Aug. 9, 2:57 p.m.

    Taylor Knibb — Triathlon, Road Cycling

    Qualifying in the triathlon for the 2024 Olympics apparently wasn’t enough for 26-year-old Taylor Knibb.

    The D.C. native pulled off a stunning result on May 15 at the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships, winning the women’s time trial and securing a spot in a second sport in the Paris Olympics.

    According to Team USA, Knibb was inspired to become a triathlete as a child after she watched her mom, Leslie Knibb, compete in an IRONMAN race. Taylor Knibb attended Sidwell Friends School in D.C., where she competed on the cross-country team. She also swam for Nation’s Capital Swim Club, while continuing to compete in triathlons. Knibb was named D.C. Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year and the D.C. State Athletic Association Runner of the Year in both 2014 and 2015.

    At 23, Knibb was the youngest woman ever to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, according to Team USA. During the 2020 Olympics, she placed 16th overall in the individual event and earned the silver medal at the debut Mixed Relay event.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Competition:

    • Cycling, road : July 27 — 19, 43:03.46.
    • Triathlon: July 31 — Finished 19th, 1:58:37

    Katie Ledecky — Swimming

    Katie Ledecky, is a 27-year-old swimmer from Bethesda, Maryland.

    Already one of the greatest swimmers ever, Ledecky is heading to her fourth Olympics where she’s looking to add to her six individual gold medals.

    Ledecky, who cruised to victory in the 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. swimming trials on June 15, is off to Paris where the 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle swimming events are considered her best shots at victory.

    Competition:

    • 400 freestyle prelims:  July 27 — finished first, 4:02.19
    • 400 freestyle finals: July 27 — finished third, 4:00.86 (Bronze Medal)
    • 800 freestyle prelims: Aug. 2 — finished second, 8:16.62
    • 800 freestyle finals — Aug. 3 —
    • 1,500 freestyle prelims: July 30. — finished first, 15:47.43
    • 1,500 freestyle finals: July 31 — finished first, 15:30.02 (Gold Medal)
    • 4×200 freestyle relay finals: Aug. 1 — finished second, 7:40.86 (Silver Medal)

    Noah Lyles — Track

    The blazing fast Noah Lyles is looking to make a statement performance in Paris.

    Lyles is a 26-year-old sprinter from Alexandria, Virginia, and a graduate of then-T. C. Williams High School, which has since been renamed to Alexandria City High School. He was ranked No. 1 in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter in 2023, and is currently still tops in the 200-meter and is No. 2 in the 100-meter.

    In Tokyo, Lyles took home a bronze medal in the 200-meter but is considered a favorite in that event, and in the marquee 100-meter event.

    Lyles will be eying history in Paris, with the rare chance to a triple crown of gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4×100-meter races. No American has done that since Carl Lewis.

    Competition:

    • 100-meter Round 1 Heat: Aug. 3 — Finished second, 10.04
    • 100-meter Semifinals: Aug. 4 — Finished second, 9.83
    • 100-meter Finals: Aug. 4 — Finished first, 9.784 (Gold Medal)
    • 200-meter Round 1 Heat 6: Aug. 5, 1:55 p.m.
    • 200-meter Repechage Round: Aug. 6, 6:30 a.m.
    • 200-meter Semifinals: Aug. 7, 2 p.m.
    • 200-meter Finals: Aug. 8, 2:30 p.m.
    • 4×100-meter relay Round 1: Aug. 8, 5:35 a.m.
    • 4×100-meter relay Finals: Aug. 9, 1:47 p.m.

    Helen Maroulis — Wrestling

    Helen Maroulis is a 32-year-old wrestler from Rockville, Maryland, who will be competing in her third consecutive Olympics this summer.

    Maroulis started wrestling at age 7 and went on to compete for Magruder High School in Derwood, finishing with a record of 99-26, often wrestling against boys.

    During her first Olympics in 2016, Maroulis made history, becoming the first U.S. woman to win gold in wrestling. She followed that up with a bronze medal in the 2020 games.

    Maroulis is also a three-time Senior World Championships gold medalist.

    On top of her competitive schedule, Maroulis, who still lives in Rockville, works to train the next generation of young wrestlers by holding clinics for all ages.

    Competition: Women’s freestyle wrestling (57 kg)

    • Quarterfinals and Semifinals: Aug. 8, 5 a.m.-1 p.m.
    • Repechage Round: Aug. 9, 5 p.m.
    • Bronze Medal and Finals: Aug. 9, 2:50-3:15 p.m.

    Tatiana Nazlymov — Fencing

    Tatiana Nazlymov is from Bethesda, Maryland, where her father and grandfather (also fencers) got her involved in the sport at a young age.

    Nazlymov attended Georgetown Day School in D.C. and held the No. 11 world junior ranking before going to Princeton, where she just completed her freshman year.

    This summer will be Nazlymov’s first Olympic Games, but she’s already had success on the international level. She won gold at the 2023 Pan-American Senior Championships, and racked up silver medals at the 2023 World University Games and the Plovdiv Junior Women’s Saber World Cup.

    Competition:

    • Women’s saber individual, Round of 32 vs. South Korea’s Choi Se-bin: July 29 — 14-15 (eliminated)

    Kevin Paredes — Soccer

    Kevin Paredes is a 21-year-old soccer player from South Riding, Virginia, and was just named to the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team.

    The defender played for D.C. United from 2020-2021, making 41 appearances for the club and scoring three goals. He signed with a German club called VfL Wolfburg, appearing in 52 matches and scoring three goals.

    Paredes appeared in three matches for the senior national team.

    Competition: Men’s Soccer

    • 3-0 loss vs. France (group play) — July 24
    • 4-1 win vs. New Zealand (group play) — July 27
    • 3-0 win vs. Guinea (group play) — July 30
    • 4-0 loss vs. Morocco (Quarterfinals) —  Aug. 2 (Eliminated)

    Aaron Russell — Volleyball

    Aaron Russell is a 30-year-old, 6’9″ volleyball player from Ellicott City, Maryland, who plays outside hitter for Team USA.

    Russell attended Centennial High School in Ellicott City, where he trained with the girls volleyball team, since they didn’t have a boys team. He also played for the Maryland Volleyball Program in Rockville and was a member of the 2010 and 2011 Youth National Team.

    Russell’s talents extend beyond the court, having been a two-year team captain in soccer at Centennial. Russell followed his older brother to Penn State to play collegiate volleyball, and was a two-time All American and one of two team captains his senior year.

    In Paris, Russell will be looking to pick up more Olympic hardware. He was a part of USA’s bronze-medal winning team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and was named to the Olympic Dream Team.

    Competition:

    • Men’s volleyball, prelims vs. Argentina: July 27 — U.S. wins 3-0
    • Men’s volleyball, prelims vs. Germany: July 30 — U.S. wins 3-2
    • Men’s volleyball, prelims vs. Japan: Aug. 2 — U.S. wins 3-1
    • Men’s volleyball, Quarterfinals vs. Brazil — Aug. 5, 2 p.m.
    • Men’s volleyball, Semifinals – Aug. 7
    • Men’s volleyball, Finals – Aug. 10

    Kyle Snyder — Wrestling

    Kyle Snyder is a 28-year-old wrestler from Woodbine, Maryland, who looks to add to his vast collection of hardware during the 2024 Summer Games.

    Snyder took home the freestyle wrestling gold medal at 97 kg in 2016 and came away with silver in the 2020 games. He also won the world championship in 2015, 2017 and 2022.

    Those who watched Snyder wrestle in high school for Our Lady of Good Counsel won’t be surprised by his success. During his three years there, Snyder amassed a perfect, 179-0 record on his way to three prep national titles while only giving up a single takedown in his entire high school career.

    His dominance continued at the collegiate level wrestling for Ohio State, where he won three consecutive national titles.

    Competition: Men’s freestyle wrestling (97 kg)

    • Quarterfinals and Semifinals: Aug. 6, 5:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
    • Repechage Round: Aug. 7, 5 p.m.
    • Bronze Medal and Finals: Aug. 9, 2:05 p.m.

    Jessica Stevens — Trampoline gymnastics

    Jessica Stevens is a 24-year-old from Ellicott City, Maryland, representing Team USA gymnastics on the trampoline team.

    Stevens trains at Fairland Gymnastics in Laurel and is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Howard Community College.

    While she’s making her Olympic debut in Paris, Stevens has amassed plenty of hardware in international competition, including a 2023 World Championships gold medal in mixed team competition and a bronze in women’s individual trampoline at the same event.

    Competition: Women’s trampoline gymnastics

    • Qualification: Aug. 2 — Finished 13th (Eliminated)

    Juliette Whittaker — Track

    Juliette Whittaker is a 20-year-old middle-distance runner from Laurel, Maryland, and attended Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, where she won numerous state and national titles.

    Whittaker qualified for the U.S. team in the women’s 800-meter, placing third at the Olympic Trials with a time of 1:58.45. She’ll be making her Olympic debut in Paris.

    Now attending Stanford University, Whittaker is a Pac-12 champion in the 800-meter and a four-time All-American.

    Competition: Women’s 800-meter

    • Round 1: Aug. 2 — Finished third, 2:00.45
    • Semifinals: Aug. 4 — Finished third, 1:57.76
    • Finals: Aug. 5, 3:45 p.m.

    Quincy Wilson — Track

    Quincy Wilson is a 16-year-old track superstar and the youngest male U.S. track and field Olympian in history.

    He set the under-18 world record for the outdoor version of the 400-meter dash. Wilson broke his own record in the 400 m at 44.66 seconds by running it in 44.59 seconds.

    Born in 2008, Wilson has quickly established himself as one of the most promising rising stars in track and field.

    Off the track, he’s a student at the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland.

    Competition: 4x400m mixed relay

    • Round 1: Aug. 2 — Finished 1st, 3:07.41 (Did not participate)
    • Final: Aug. 3 — Finished 2nd (Did not participate)

    Khoi Young — Gymnastics

    Bowie, Maryland-raised Khoi Young placed 15th in the all-around at the Olympic trials and went on to be named as an alternate to the U.S. Olympic Team.

    Young posted the top score on the vault of 30.05.

    The 21-year-old NCAA champion exploded onto the international scene, winning multiple medals at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics Championships and for Team USA.

    He’s a rising senior at Stanford University where he studies product design and is on track to graduate in 2025.

    Competition:

    • Men’s gymnastics, team (Bronze Medal)

    Griffin Yow — Soccer

    Griffin Yow is a 21-year-old soccer player from Clifton, Virginia, and was named to the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team.

    He attended Centreville High School before withdrawing from high school and to play for D.C. United and before that, its reserve team called Loudoun United FC. After spending four years for the Black and Red, Yow was transferred Belgium’s K.V.C. Westerlo in 2022.

    The forward has never played for the senior national team.

    Competition: Men’s Soccer

    • 3-0 loss vs. France (group play) — July 24
    • 4-1 win vs. New Zealand (group play) — July 27
    • 3-0 win vs. Guinea (group play) — July 30
    • 4-0 loss vs. Morocco (Quarterfinals) —  Aug. 2 (Eliminated)

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    Thomas Robertson

    Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.

    Thomas Robertson

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