Police: Two Cyclists Held at Gunpoint on Custis Bike Trail

Two men menaced cyclists on the Custis Bike Trail and brandished a weapon Tuesday evening, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

According to authorities, it started at about 10 p.m. on the 1200 block of North Abingdon Street when two men tried to knock a man off of his bike and block the bike trail.

The cyclist was able to ram one of the men back and break through, but he noticed that one of the men was carrying a gun. After the victim got away, he reported the incident to police.

In another part of the trail on the 1300 block of North Vernon Street just a few minutes after the first incident, another cyclist reported being harassed by two men who were able to knock him off his bicycle. They grabbed his cell phone and ran, according to police.

The victim in the second incident had to be taken to the hospital to be treated.

The first attacker was a man around 25 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, and 185 pounds, according to police. He wore a dark puffy winter jacket and dark pants. 

The second man was about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He wore a dark jacket and dark pants, police reported.

A U.S. Park Police helicopter and the Arlington County Police Department’s K-9 Unit were used to try and find the robbers, but they remain at large.

If anyone has information on the identities and/or whereabouts of the attackers, please contact Detective Christine Everest of the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or at Ceverest@arlingtonva.us. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477).