In the quiet neighborhood of Lorton, Virginia, the life of 17-year-old Maurice Anderson Berger was cut short on the night of September 7, 2016. The Black / African American male was found on a sidewalk in the 9700 block of Hagel Circle, suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body. Emergency responders arrived at the scene around 10:30 p.m., but their efforts were in vain, and he was pronounced dead.
Berger was a student at Bryant Alternative High School, where he was described by those who knew him as a positive and helpful presence, always with a smile on his face. He was an active member of the school's AV/Tech team and the Multicultural Book Club.
Initial reports from the Fairfax County Police indicated that witnesses heard gunshots and saw a vehicle leaving the scene, but a description of the car or any suspects was not immediately available. The community was shaken by the violent death of the teenager, who had recently started a new job and was remembered by friends and family for his kindness and respectful nature. A vigil was held in his memory as investigators from the Major Crimes Division canvassed the neighborhood, searching for answers in the sudden and tragic loss of a young life.
As the investigation progressed, a different narrative of the events of that night began to emerge. Fairfax County Police eventually concluded that Berger's death occurred during a robbery attempt that he and two others were perpetrating. According to the police, Berger, along with 18-year-old Daniel Winkfield and another 17-year-old, attempted to rob an 18-year-old man from Manassas Park at gunpoint during what appeared to be a drug transaction.
The 18-year-old who was the target of the robbery shot Berger in what Fairfax County prosecutors determined to be an act of self-defense. Consequently, no charges were filed against the shooter, and the homicide investigation was closed. While the man who fired the fatal shot was not prosecuted, one of Berger's alleged accomplices, Daniel Winkfield, was charged with robbery and awaited trial for his role in the incident that led to Berger's death. The case concluded not with a murder conviction, but with a complex and tragic story of a robbery gone wrong.
