Murder Charge Filed In Fatal Shooting At Fairfax Apartment: Police

FAIRFAX, VA — Fairfax County Police arrested 18-year-old Darren Cruz Colindres of Vienna in connection with the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Javier Gomez in the living room of his Fairfax apartment on Saturday morning, according to a police release.

Officers responded around 7:47 a.m. to the 10400 block of Viera Lane for the report of a gunshot being fired inside a second-level apartment at the Fairfax Village Apartment complex just north of the City of Fairfax, according to police.

Arriving on the scene, officers found Gomez suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body and began to administer first aid. Once Fairfax County Fire and Rescue person arrived, Gomez was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead, according to police.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Gomez and Cruz Colindres were in the apartment since late Friday and into Saturday morning. A family member of Gomez's who was asleep in a bedroom heard the gunshot, according to police. When they went to the living room to investigate, they found Gomez on the floor and saw Cruz Colindres running from the apartment.

With the help of the Fugitive Track and Apprehension Unit, detectives located Cruz Colindres at a home in the 2700 block of Pleasantdale Road in McLean, where he was taken into custody. Police charged Cruz Colindres with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Gomez' body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of his death. Police say that as yet no firearm has been recovered from the scene.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477) or online.

Watch as Lieutenant James Curry provides an update about the homicide that occurred this morning in the 10400 block of Viera Lane in Fairfax. https://t.co/fpLL3zVUiQ
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 25, 2023