HoodaThunk?

“Active incident” in southwest Leesburg? (Update – suspect surrenders.)

I just got this from the Loudoun Alert system:

Leesburg Police on the scene of active incident in SW Leesburg. All residents encouraged to stay out of the area or indoors

This might be more helpful if they’d give us a street location or a radius from a given point. And an “active incident” could be a train wreck, a tornado, a terrorist attack, or a gun fight. I know the Sheriff’s department would rather none of us knew what was going on and would simply follow their orders blindly but is it too much to ask for a little information about what we’re supposed to be looking out for?

Update: OK, here’s more information:

Leesburg Police believe an armed robbery suspect may be involved in a barricade situation on South King Street.

Police are advising people in southwest Leesburg to stay indoors.

The suspect is described as a black man with a shaved head.

He may have been involved in an armed robbery that occurred Friday morning at a pawn shop near the Loudoun County Courthouse.

Now you know. If you’re in the area lock the access to wherever you’re sitting at the moment and respond to the police with any sightings of the man described.

Update 2: This additional information just sent via Loudoun Alert:

On July 10, 2009 at approximately 11:27am, the Leesburg Police responded to an armed robbery which had just occurred at the Other Kind of Jewelry Store located at 120 East Market Street Suite B in Leesburg. Police Officers are searching for a black male armed with a handgun. The suspect fled on foot and is armed and considered dangerous.  The incident is on-going.  More information to follow. 
 
The Leesburg Police are encouraging citizens with any information regarding this incident to contact 771-4500 or 911.

Update 3: Thanks to fellow Twitterer puppyshine we have this story at Leesburg Talk that has an update as of 2:51PM today:

Update at 2:51 PM – friend tells me it was her cousin’s family who was held hostage and had their Jeep stolen. They are OK now. So likely the guy is alone in the place on Davis Ave. I guess it’s up to the guy how this ends up.

The author, Chuck Shotton, says he saw some of this go down from a 1st person perspective, so do head over to his article and give it a read.

Update 4: LoudounExtra is reporting that the armed thief has taken an elderly couple hostage in their homes and that police are trying to negotiate a safe end to this. Be sure to check out the comments in Chuck Shotton’s Leesburg Talk I linked above. There’s some good info in there. Also check this story at WTOP News and, again, read the comments.

Update 5: From the latest Loudoun Alert message:

The suspect involved in an armed robbery and barricade/hostage situation in the Town of Leesburg has surrendered to authorities. The two hostages were released and are being medically evaulated at this time but are considered in good condition.  
 
The suspect is now in the custody of the Leesburg Police Department and he is facing multiple felony charges.  
 
Units are currently clearing the scene and residents who were displaced from their homes during this time will be allowed to return in approximately 30 minutes.

I’m very relieved to hear that the situation is resolved and the hostages were unharmed.

July 10th, 2009 Posted by ricjames | Crime & Punishment, Human Interest | no comments

Nye’s Waffle House

From the NRCC:

(Hat tip: Bearing Drift)

July 10th, 2009 Posted by ricjames | Politics, Virginia Politics | no comments

Forbes article: The jobs situation is even worse than the headlines.

Nouriel Roubini writes at Forbes.com:

The June employment report suggests that the alleged green shoots are mostly yellow weeds that may eventually turn into brown manure. The employment report shows that conditions in the labor market continue to be extremely weak, with job losses in June of over 460,000. With the current rate of job losses, it is very clear that the unemployment rate could reach 10% by later this summer–around August or September–and will be closer to 10.5%, if not 11%, by year-end. I expect the unemployment rate is going to peak at around 11% at some point in 2010, well above historical standards for even severe recessions.

If that happens it’ll pretty much seal the argument that the so-called stimulus was an epic failure at the task for which we were told it must be rushed into law with insufficient debate allowed. It’ll do more than that, of course, and I mean besides putting even more Americans in dire straights financially. Ed Morrissey over at Hot Air points out the latest Rasmussen tracking poll showing that Obama’s approval ratio is dropping fast. The “passion index”, as it’s called, is the difference between those who strongly approve versus those who strongly disapprove. As of the Thursday report, that ratio is at -8, meaning there’s 8 more percentage points’ worth of respondents who strongly disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economic situation than those who strongly approve. Morrissey quotes Scott Rasmussen from his write up on the poll:

However, the real message in these numbers has less to do with politics and more to do with the fact that this President’s fate will be determined by the economy. … So, when you’re thinking about the potential impact on the 2010 elections, the key question is what will the economy be like next year at this time. If the economy recovers, jobs are being created, and GM is doing well, the President’s numbers will be up. If the economy is still struggling, unemployment is high, and GM is seeking more bailout money, then the President and his party will have a difficult fall.

If the track follows what Roubini is projecting then it’s going be more than just “difficult” for the Dems in 2010. They can still pull out of this a bit if they show they’re interested in keeping our debts down and in not vilifying the business community. Firms aren’t hiring now because they’re convinced they’re going to get hit with even higher taxes and more onerous regulatory programs should Obama and the Democrats do what they’re saying they will. They need to be shown that’s not going to happen before they start sinking investment dollars into things that are only going to get turned against them.

July 10th, 2009 Posted by ricjames | Economy, Politics | no comments