Circumstances Behind Pepper Spraying In Crystal City Unclear: ACPD

ARLINGTON, VA — A man who'd been pepper-sprayed Thursday evening in Crystal City had limited information about the circumstances leading up to the incident, according to Arlington County Police.

Officers responded around 6:37 p.m. to the 1900 block of Richmond Highway for the report of an assault with a weapon. An man suffering from the effects of pepper spray was located and treated by medics at the scene, according to the incident report.

The victim provided limited information to investigators about what led up to him being pepper sprayed, according to police.

The case is being investigated as a malicious wounding by caustic agent incident.

"If any person maliciously causes any other person bodily injury by means of any acid, lye or other caustic substance or agent or use of any explosive or fire, he shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by confinement in a state correctional facility for a period of not less than five years nor more than thirty years," according to the Code of Virginia. "If such act is done unlawfully but not maliciously, the offender shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony."

A person convicted of a Class 6 felony faces a possible prison sentence of one to five years, according to Virginia law. However, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case, the convicted felon could be confined in jail for up to 12 months and/or fined $2,500.