In the early morning hours of July 29, 2026, a dispute, reportedly over a parking spot, escalated into deadly violence in the 2300 block of Dunlavin Way in east Charlotte, North Carolina. Gilberto Gomez-Ruiz, a 27-year-old man, was shot and killed at the Country Club Apartments shortly before 2 a.m. When police officers arrived at the scene in the Eastway Division, they discovered two individuals with gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services pronounced Gomez-Ruiz dead at the scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Homicide Unit immediately launched an investigation. Detectives and crime scene investigators processed the scene, collecting physical evidence to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. The investigation quickly pointed to a suspect, and on Thursday, July 30, 2026, the department's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team located and arrested 29-year-old David Michael Simpson. Simpson was taken to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview with homicide detectives before being transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The investigation into the death of Gilberto Gomez-Ruiz remains active and ongoing, with Detective Wallace assigned as the lead investigator. The charges against David Michael Simpson are allegations, and the case has yet to proceed through the court system for trial and potential conviction. The public has been asked to provide any further information to the Homicide Unit or anonymously through Crime Stoppers to assist in the ongoing investigation. The family of Gilberto Gomez-Ruiz has been notified of his death and the arrest made in the case. This case represents a sudden and tragic loss of life, stemming from what appears to be a minor conflict that ended with devastating consequences.
