For Immediate Release: March 21, 2022

On March 14, 2022, the Grand Jury for the City of Alexandria returned an indictment charging Rakibul Islam Fakir, a 33-year-old Alexandria resident, with one felony count, Murder in the First Degree.

The charge arises from an incident which occurred in the B.J.’s Wholesale Club located in the 100 block of South Van Dorn Street on September 25, 2021. Alexandria Police responded to the business and found Abiy Zemene, a 29-yearold Maryland resident, in the business suffering from apparent stab wounds. Mr. Zemene later succumbed to his injuries.

First Degree Murder is punishable by life in prison. No trial date has been set in this matter as of the date of this release. The defendant is being held without bail in the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center awaiting trial.

Rule 3.6 of the Virginia State Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys states, in pertinent part: "A lawyer participating in or associated with the… prosecution … of a criminal matter that may be tried to a jury shall not make or participate in making an extrajudicial statement… that the lawyer knows, Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney City of Alexandria Press Release – 2022-002 or should know, will have a substantial likelihood of interfering with the fairness of a trial by jury." Therefore, the Commonwealth is prohibited from discussing the evidence, its trial strategy, or its work product prior to resolution of this case.