Armed DEA Agents, Federal Officers Gather At NoVA Park
VIENNA, VA — A group of about 10-15 federal law enforcement officers dressed in kakis and carrying firearms gathered at Nottaway Park outside the Town of Vienna around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.
"We are not ICE. This is not immigration," an officer with "DEA" on his uniform told Patch..
A second officer, who identified himself as a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency asked the reporter why he was there and taking photos.
"I'm a member of the press and a citizen," the reporter said. "Citizens have the right to photograph and record law enforcement officers when they are in a public place."
The reporter identified himself, showed his press credentials and offered to give the agent his business card. The agent declined and instead snapped photos of the reporter and his press ID.
When asked what the DEA was doing at the park, the agent said it was "a secure operation" and "a debrief."
Other officers began to arrive in SUVs and cars, parking near the two DEA agents.
The special agent then confronted the reporter and asked if he was going to leave the area.
Aware that this could be interpreted as a "
Nearing the park's exit, the report was passed by an empty Fairfax County Public School bus, which parked near where the agents were gathering.
Patch reached out to the DEA press office by phone and email, as well as the Virginia State Police's public information office, to determine what the DEA and other law enforcement officers were doing at the park. This story will be updated once those agencies respond.
A public information officer with Fairfax County police said that none of their officers were among those who'd gathered at Nottaway Park on Thursday afternoon.
