A 21-year-old Annandale man is facing multiple charges after Arlington County police say he fired several rounds while fishing along the Potomac River near North Glebe Road and Chain Bridge Road early Thursday morning. Officers located Mason Du on the riverbank and recovered a firearm at the scene, and police say no one was hurt and no property was damaged.
According to Arlington County Police Department's daily crime report, the incident was logged under case number 2026-10010001 after officers received an alert around 12:05 a.m. from a neighboring police agency reporting gunshots heard near the North Glebe Road and Chain Bridge Road area. As reported by WJLA, Du was fishing when he allegedly pulled out a gun and fired multiple rounds, and he was allegedly intoxicated at the time.
Per WUSA-TV, responding Arlington County officers canvassed the Potomac riverbank after midnight before locating the suspect while he was fishing and recovering the firearm. The station's report corroborates that police found no injuries and no physical damage at the scene.
Charges Stack Up Under Virginia Gun Statutes
Du faces charges including reckless handling of a firearm, discharging a firearm in a public place, and hunting while under the influence, the station's report notes. Under Virginia Code § 18.2-280, willfully discharging a firearm in a public place where no bodily injury occurs is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor, carrying a statutory maximum of up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500, according to Simms Showers Law.
Separately, Virginia Code § 18.2-56.1 makes handling a firearm recklessly so as to endanger life, limb, or property a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail, and a conviction while hunting can result in a court revoking the offender's hunting rights for up to five years, per Medvin Law. The hunting-while-under-the-influence charge stems from Virginia Code § 18.2-285, which makes it a state criminal offense to hunt or attempt to hunt wild birds or wild animals while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants, according to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Arlington County jail records showed Du was booked shortly after 2 a.m. and held on a $5,000 secured bond. He has a court hearing set for December 4, 2026.
A Border Spot Popular With Anglers
The stretch of Potomac riverbank around North Glebe Road and Chain Bridge Road sits at Pimmit Run, a spot that connects Arlington with Fairfax County and Washington, D.C. across the river — which is likely why the initial gunfire alert came from a neighboring agency before Arlington officers made the arrest. Historical documentation from Arlington Magazine notes the area has served as a widely frequented local fishing spot for centuries, particularly during seasonal fish runs like the spring herring and shad.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Nighttime Gunfire Calls
Thursday's incident adds to a string of shots-fired calls Arlington police have fielded this year. In August, officers investigated a separate late-night shots-fired incident in the 2400 block of Shirlington Boulevard, recovering ballistic evidence without finding injuries or structural damage. And in July, a 9:56 p.m. call for shots heard in the 1400 block of 28th Street S. led to a neighborhood canvass that confirmed gunfire but turned up no suspect or victims.
Arlington has also seen other public firearm incidents this year. Hoodline previously reported that a gunman fired near Courthouse Metro before fleeing in September, and in March, police arrested a 19-year-old in connection with four armed commercial robberies across the county, including one on the 300 block of North Glebe Road where a handgun was displayed. It remains unclear what specific weapon was recovered from Du or whether sobriety testing was conducted.
