Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the world isn’t all that safe. 

Everywhere I go in Ashburn, I see children playing in the streets, parents interacting with each other or playing Cricket, and teenagers driving without a care in the world. The houses all look alike. Maybe there are American flags hanging up or piles of shoes signaling a party is going on next door. 

The eases of suburbia are seemingly etched into the bones of our community.

When I first moved to Loudoun County, the second safest county in VA, the way people lived with a carefree lifestyle shocked me. Doors were left wide open and kids walked freely into other’s garages to get their friends. No one seemed to be on high alert. No one thought twice about the potential dangers. The charm of that suburban neighborhood was there, but it all felt so naive. 

That’s the scariest part. 

In this little bubble, danger doesn’t exist. That phrase “stranger danger” is now more of a myth than reality to the younger generation. But this illusion, like a bubble, can shatter fast.

For example, on April 12, a 19-year-old by the name of Fadlalla Mohamed shot a 16-year-old, whose name was not released, in his car outside of a Harris Teeter. Now, Mohamed is facing the charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Immediately, rumors spread like wildfire, but as fast as they came, they left. People returned to their day-to-day life like nothing had happened. 

Furthermore, we’ve seen a surge in drug use and vaping in many local schools — Broad Run, Briar Woods, Dominion, Loudoun County, Park View and Tuscarora have dealt with 10 suspected overdoses this year alone. Now, HALO sensors, or vape detectors, are posted outside bathrooms in schools throughout the county. And in 2024, 7.8% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 reported using drugs, with over 10% of 12th graders vaping marijuana between 2017 and 2023.

Mental health is also an important factor to consider when thinking of the community. According to the Virginia Department of Health, “Young Virginians were hospitalized for self-harm-related injuries for 1,588 days with over 13 million dollars in hospitalization costs in 2020.” And of those deaths? 7% were due to drug poisonings, and over half of them were due to gun usage. To make matters worse, the CDC found that while during Covid in 2020 suicide rates decreased by 5%, we started seeing the rates return to their peak in 2022, especially in males who make up 80% of suicide rates. Additionally, “over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2023. That is one death every 11 minutes.” We also see that 55.33% of suicide attemps and death were also due to firearm usage  While these numbers include not only teens but also adults in the U.S., it’s safe to assume most of these people had families and friends till the very end. So, how can we expect to protect our kids if we don’t even see through the facade that everything is fine? 

And on the roads, it’s no better. Virginia had 127,597 car accidents resulting in 907 deaths, an increase from the previous year with 122,434 crashes and 1,005 fatalities. Loudoun County is not exempt. Speeding and car accidents are something so regular here that I’ve already seen at least 3 accidents this year so far. A couple of days ago, I saw a child bike onto the street without looking, he was mere inches from getting hit by an incoming car. Children and adults alike are always walking and playing on the street trusting that everything will be fine, but trust can only get you so far. There’s texting while driving incidents and, like the child, people no longer look both ways before they cross the street. 

Yes, crime stats tend to change over the years. While crime was slightly up when comparing 2022 to 2021, drug arrests went down. In Virginia, burglaries account for barely 9% of all property crimes, compared to 16% nationwide, but this doesn’t mean we’re invincible. 

Most people also don’t realize how crime can be classified. At the Ashburn Station, the crimes are divided into part 1, which deals with serious offenses like homicide and auto theft,  and part 2 offenses, the more simple offenses like DUIs and “simple assault”. But just because we don’t hear about them every day, it doesn’t mean they are not happening. 

The real danger isn’t just the crimes committed—it’s the complacency. 

We’ve come to believe we live in a perfect world, immune to the dangers we see on the news. And while most teenagers and adults are aware, the kids act as if just because their parents are nearby, it means they are completely safe. The reality is that we aren’t. We live in a bubble, one that can burst at any moment. But, while we may not have the power to stop every violent act or incident, we can still make a difference in small ways, every day. 

Be careful on the road, leave it for the cars not for small kids to bike on. Report alcohol and drug use by minors. Stay alert. Watch your kids. But most importantly, teach them that the world isn’t always kind and that awareness is protection. 

Don’t let the next generation live with their heads in the sand.