Gay man shot dead outside Orlando club as suspect charged
(L-R): Suspect Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr has been charged with the murder of Julien Emmanuel Cruz. (Orlando Police)
A gay man from Florida was shot dead outside LGBTQ+ nightclub Savoy Orlando, and a suspect has been charged.
On Sunday (22 February) at around 2.31am, Orlando Police officers responded to reports of a shooting outside Savoy Orlando.
At the scene they found Julien Emmanuel Cruz, 33, who was suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital, but sadly died.
Orlando Police said: “The investigation revealed that the victim and suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk prior to the shooting. During the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot the victim.
“The suspect fled the scene in his vehicle, which was later located by patrol units at the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue.”
Police named the suspect as Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr, 37. He has been charged with second-degree murder with a firearm.
As per the Advocate, Cruz’s family told Orlando’s NBC affiliate WESH that investigators are still working to determine who fired the fatal shot.
Anthony Cruz, the victim’s father, said his son was shot when he intervened in a fight that was occurring.
“My son didn’t deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt. A shirt with a bullet hole. And this is just not cool,” he said.
Savoy Orlando owner, Brandon Llewellyn, took to Facebook to share that staff are “heartbroken by the tragic incident”.
The post added: “Our thoughts & deepest condolences are with the victim’s family & everyone affected by this loss.
“While the incident did not occur inside Savoy, we recognize the impact it has had on our surrounding community. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as they continue their investigation.
“The safety and well-being of our guests, staff, and neighbours will always remain our highest priority.”
Police said the killing was the city’s third homicide of 2026.
The force has reported declining crime across major categories over the past three years, with homicides being the largest decrease at 68 per cent.
According to the department, only 10 homicides were recorded in 2025. The agency says this was the lowest number since it started tracking the data in 1971.
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