<sh>PlayStation Crowd Control
<bt>Fairfax County Police used pepper ball ammunition to control a crowd outside the Tysons Corner Circuit City early the morning of Friday, Nov. 17, the day the Sony PlayStation 3 was released.
"At about 4, we were called by mall security about people gathering at Circuit City in anticipation of the store opening," said police spokesman Lt. Rich Perez. At about 5:45 a.m., the crowd of about 400 began to surge forward toward the store, and officers gave commands for the crowd to step back, said Perez. "The crowd did not comply."
One officer then shot several pepper balls at the ground. The balls, about a nickel in diameter, are shot from a gun similar to an air gun and burst and discharge pepper spray on impact, said Perez. The officer discharged two bursts of pepper ammunition onto the ground before the crowd regained order.
Perez said one man fell as the crowd rushed forward, and the man reported difficulty breathing and was taken to a hospital. He had no discernible injury.
<sh>Camera Store Robbed
<bt>The Penn Camera store at 8357 Leesburg Pike was robbed on Friday, Nov. 24 at about 2:15 p.m., according to a police report. A man came into the store and asked to look at a digital camera and lens. A 25-year-old clerk began boxing up the items for sale when the man raised his sweatshirt to reveal a gun in his waistband and announced a robbery, said police. The suspect fled with the camera and lens. The victim was not injured.
The suspect was described as a white man between 24 and 26 years old. He had blond hair, dark eyes and a goatee. He was wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt, black pants and a blue T-shirt with white stripes. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.
<sh>Tysons Corner Circuit City Robbed
<bt>On Friday, Nov. 24, at about 12:45 p.m., the Circuit City at 8250 Leesburg Pike was robbed. According to Fairfax County Police, a man walked into the electronics section and asked a 19-year-old employee if he could see a GPS system. As the man was looking at the GPS, he revealed a gun to the victim and fled with the product. Two other employees noticed the suspect leave without paying and gave chase. Once outside, the suspect brandished the gun at the employees. Police said the victims were not injured. The suspect was described as a white man, about 20 to 25 years old. He had sandy hair, blue eyes and a goatee. He was wearing a black, three-quarter length coat with a yellow design on the bottom, gray baseball cap and blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.