In the early morning hours of February 22, 2026, a dispute on a sidewalk in Orlando, Florida, turned fatal, ending the life of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz. A native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, born on May 18, 1992, Cruz was remembered as a vibrant and tender soul who held a deep love for the people in his life. The incident that led to his death unfolded around 2:30 a.m.
in the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, outside the Savoy Orlando, an LGBTQ+ nightclub.
According to police reports, Cruz was involved in a verbal and physical altercation with another man. The argument escalated, and the other individual, identified as 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr, allegedly retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz. First responders found Cruz with a gunshot wound and transported him to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The victim's father stated that his son was trying to intervene in a fight when he was shot.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene in his vehicle. Orlando Police Department officers later located the vehicle in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue and arrested Borja Gil De La Madr. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder with a firearm and booked into the Orange County Jail. This tragic event marked the third homicide in Orlando for the year 2026. Friends of Cruz expressed their grief and desire for justice, remembering him as a sweet person whose smile could light up a room.
