In the spring of 2023, the life of 37-year-old David Joshua Gomes was cut short in a tragic act of violence in Suffolk, Virginia. On the evening of April 7th, at approximately 7:32 PM, the Suffolk 911 Center received a call reporting a shooting inside a residence on the 300 block of Beech Street. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Gomes suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite emergency response, he was pronounced deceased at the location.
David, known affectionately to friends and family as “D”, “Gomes”, and “Dave”, was a father of six children. Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, he later moved to Suffolk and attended Lakeland High School, where he played as a running back for the Suffolk Steelers. He was employed with Lamberts Cable Splicing Company, LLC in Chesapeake. Remembered as a 'Mr. Fix It' who loved working on cars, he was also a devoted fan of the New England Patriots and was considered a fashion guru by those who knew him.
The investigation into the homicide quickly led police to identify a suspect. The day after the shooting, authorities announced they had secured warrants for 42-year-old Alvin Lorenzo Bryant Jr. of Suffolk. The charges against Bryant included Second-Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Bryant was considered armed and dangerous, and authorities released information about the vehicle he was believed to be driving, a gold 2001 Honda Accord.
A friend who knew both the victim and the suspect stated that the shooting occurred inside his home while he was at work. He expressed his shock and distress over the incident, describing Gomes as a caring and loving person. The search for the suspect came to an end on April 10, 2023, when Alvin Lorenzo Bryant Jr. turned himself in at Police Precinct 2 around 8:56 PM. He was subsequently held at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail with no bond.
