Alexandria, Fairfax police investigate racial vandalism

Alexandria and Fairfax police are investigating vandalism that left about 40 Alexandria area cars covered in slurs and swastikas. Ten cars parked on the 1800 block of North Chambliss Street in Alexandria had “racial slurs, sexual slurs, swastikas — all kinds of nastiness” drawn on them with shoe polish early Sunday morning, said Lt. Jamie Bartlett, an Alexandria police spokesman. Another 30 cars across the county line in Fairfax were similarly vandalized, he said. – Maria Hegstad

Man injured, cats killed in fire

A Monday afternoon house fire hospitalized a man and killed five of the estimated 50 to 60 pets living in the Falls Church home, according to the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.