Authorities arrested a man in Falls Church, Virginia, for allegedly stabbing a stranger’s dog to death Sunday night, according to WUSA9.
Reyan Hassan Ibrahim, 25, allegedly stabbed the dog at around 9:15 p.m., police said, according to the local outlet. While the dog initially seemed to survive the alleged stabbing, it had to be euthanized later due to severe injuries, officers said, the outlet reported.
SUSPECT ARRESTED! Thanks to the good work of witnesses who shared the suspect’s license plate number with police, the Metro Washington Airports Authority Police Department arrested Ibrahim near Dulles Airport around 11 a.m. today!
News Release: https://t.co/yeHJVrKcET pic.twitter.com/TAHfEAsbMR
— City of Falls Church (@FallsChurchGov) January 15, 2024
The dog was with its owner, who was not injured in the alleged attack, WUSA9 reported. The family reportedly said the attack was not provoked.
“Lucy was loved beyond measure. My family is devastated beyond words,” an anonymous family member told the outlet. A family member also said the dog would have turned 13 years old this March.
Ibrahim, the alleged perpetrator, was reportedly taken into custody Monday morning during a traffic stop near the Dulles International Airport, according to police. The same family member who spoke about Lucy said the family is “relieved he’s not out there hurting more animals,” according to the outlet. (RELATED: ‘Blood Everywhere’: Man Allegedly Stabs 11-Year-Old Dog To Death In Front Of Owner In Unprovoked Attack)
“Our hearts go out to the family of this dog, because pets are members of the family. We grieve along with this family,” Jiwan Chhetri, Falls Church Police Department’s acting chief, said in a statement posted on Twitter.
“We give our thanks to our colleagues at the MWAA [Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority] Police Department for their swift action,” the acting chief stated.
“We also thank the community members who took down the license plate Information when they saw this heinous attack – it was a critical piece in catching this suspect,” Chhetri added, according to the statement.
