Stolen Vehicle Crashes On Mason Campus Causing Shelter Warning: Police

FAIRFAX, VA — A vehicle crashing into a pole at George Mason University led to an Urgent Mason Alert being sent out directing people to seek shelter in a safe and secure location for about two hours on Saturday night.

Around 7:38 p.m., a vehicle that had been stolen from Prince William County earlier in the day careened onto the school’s Fairfax campus and slammed into the pole.

“There was actually a concert or arts event going on at the Center for the Arts at the time, so we had officers there working, which was very fortunate,” said Assistant Chief of Police Emily Ross, a public information officer with university police. “They were there for crosswalk safety, to make sure all the elderly get across the street.”

Four juveniles exited the crashed vehicle. University police took two of them into custody, while the other two escaped, according to Ross. This led to an alert being sent out around 9 p.m., warning the wider community of the police investigation and that they should seek shelter. The all-clear was given shortly before 11 p.m.

The vehicle was stolen from a residence on Silkirk Circle in Bristow around 7:45 a.m.,, according to a Prince William County Police spokesman. The owner had left the vehicle unattended with the engine running.

“I don't know how or why they ended up on the Fairfax campus, but they did,” Ross said.

University police took the two suspects who were in custody to the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center, where they were charged with fleeing the scene of a crash. Further charges from Prince William Police are pending. As of Monday, the two other two remained at large.

“We don't believe there were any injuries, despite the car being totaled,” Ross said. “I wish I could tell you if they were wearing seat belts or not, but the fact that they already stole the car, they were making bad decisions that day. The airbags worked very well, I'll tell you that.”

Most Mason students were away from campus on Saturday night due to the Thanksgiving break.

“Over the holidays, when the campus is very quiet, we get nothing but weird,” Ross said.