Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, FBI, ATF, police raid home in Leesburg

LEESBURG, Va. - It was a rude awakening Friday morning for people who live in what they call an ordinarily quiet Leesburg neighborhood. Dozens of police surrounded a house before dawn as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

The two-story house on Appletree Drive NE was raided at 5 a.m as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office assisted Leesburg police.

Several people were taken in for questioning, according to police.

"There were several subjects located inside the residence," said Leesburg Police Lt. Jeff Dube. "No injuries inside the residence or outside the residence and no danger to the public at this time."

Police said this raid with heavily armed officers and a number of crime scene technicians caps a longstanding investigation. They will not say what it is all about, but members of the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force are part of the team at this scene.

"Sort of shocking considering the different types of history of gangs in this are," said Vallavha Eagala, who lives in the neighborhood.

Some who live in the area said they are aware of gang activity in Loudoun County - just not here in their own neighborhood.

"We've never really heard of any gang activity around here," said another resident. "It's pretty weird and kind of out of the blue that they would even show up."

Federal prosecutors in northern Virginia have been cracking down on gangs and gang activity for years. Some of those arrested in the past have been accused of human trafficking by recruiting young girls at shopping malls and high schools.

We are told what exactly this investigation is all about will be revealed in the coming days.