Fatal Stabbing Of Dog Prompts Arrest In Falls Church: Police

FALLS CHURCH, VA — The fatal stabbing of a dog in Falls Church prompted authorities to track down and arrest a man. A farm in Loudoun County says the same suspect targeted its horses and killed ducks and a rooster.

Around 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, City of Falls Church Police say a dog was being walked by its owner at W. Broad Street and S. Maple Avenue when a suspect stabbed it. The dog had to be euthanized due to the injuries.

The suspect, Reyan Hassan Ibrahim, 25, of Broadlands in Loudoun County, was arrested by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police during a traffic stop near Dulles International Airport around 11 a.m. Monday. He was taken to the Loudoun County detention center and is expected to be extradited and face charges from City of Falls Church Police. Witnesses had reported the suspect's license plate number, which resulted in the arrest.

"Our hearts go out to the family of this dog," said Acting Police Chief Jiwan Chhetri in a statement. "Pets are members of the family, and we grieve along with them. We give our thanks to our colleagues at the MWAA Police Department for their swift action. We also thank the community members who took down the license plate information when they saw this heinous attack."

As reported by WJLA, the dog was a German Shepherd mix named Lucy.

Wheatland Farm, a horseback riding facility in Purcellville, shared on Facebook that the suspect in the dog stabbing was the same who went after the farm's horses over the weekend. According to the farm, the suspect came to the farm and said the horses were possessed. He returned the next day and tried to approach the horses but was chased off by the owners. The farm also said the suspect killed several ducks and a rooster.

The farm notified the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office about the incidents. As WJLA reported, the sheriff's office said the suspect was involved in three destruction of property cases in November, including damaging a McDonald's drive-thru electronic menu, breaking a wine bottle and door at Sheetz and breaking a glass door at Chick-fil-A.