Crime
Victim of Fatal Shooting and Attempted Carjackings on I-190 in Worcester Identified
Suspect Shoots Himself After Chase on Crowded Highway.
On October 2nd, 2024, at about 2:20 PM, Worcester Police officers were dispatched to a Heroult Rd address for a report of a possible gunshot victim.
Upon arrival, officers located a male shooting victim who suffered serious wounds. He was given medical aid and was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
He was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
He has been identified as Echelon Perez.
A short time later, a Massachusetts State Trooper approached a man acting suspiciously. The man brandished a firearm and fired a round.
The Trooper ordered the man to drop the weapon, but he fled.
At about 3:24 PM, Worcester Police were dispatched to I-190 northbound, a short distance from Heroult Rd, for a report of an armed man stopping traffic on the highway and pointing a firearm at motorists.
Worcester Police officers and Massachusetts State Police troopers arrived on scene and pursued the male on foot on the highway.
The male attempted to carjack motorists on the highway.
In response to the imminent threat posed by the male, a Worcester Police officer and a Massachusetts State Trooper discharged their firearms during the incident.
As seen in the footage, numerous officers converged on the scene, closing in on the suspect from different directions.
Toward the end of the pursuit, an exchange of gunfire occurred between the suspect and the police.
The suspect then appeared to have shot himself in the head before officers could apprehend him.
The man was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
At this time, we believe that the man from the I-190 incident is the suspect from the Heroult Rd incident.
There is no current danger to the public.
This incident is currently under investigation by the Worcester Police and State Police Detectives assigned to the Worcester District Attorney’s Office. If you have video of the incident or information about it, please call the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.
Orlando, Fla. — Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruz’s father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruz’s partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruz’s partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
“When they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,” Anthony Cruz said. “My son didn’t deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt — a shirt with a bullet hole.”
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruz’s family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruz’s memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the club’s property.
“I didn’t know the victim, but from everything I’ve been told, I wish I had,” Cooper said. “He seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.”
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.