A 30-year-old man was found guilty Jan. 29 of aggravated malicious wounding in the Arlington County Circuit Court for a machete attack on two victims outside of Central Library in June 2013. The jury sentenced Derrick Sutherland, of no fixed address, to life in prison without parole.
On June 24, 2013, Sutherland approached the two sibling victims outside of the Central Library at 2:50 a.m. and began arguing with them. The argument escalated and Sutherland brandished a machete, which he used to strike each victim numerous times. Both victims sustained severe injuries to include the inability to use extremities and the loss of an eye.
Sutherland fled the scene immediately after the attack and remained at-large through the morning hours. However, through a collaborative effort between the Homicide/Robbery Unit and Patrol Division, officers were able to locate Sutherland in the area of Wilson Boulevard and N. Piedmont Street and take him into custody.
Detective C. Garcia was the lead detective and the case was prosecuted by Assistant Commonwealth Attorneys John Lynch and Lindsey Brooker.