Gilberto Ramos Obituary, Death Cause – A 21-year-old man has been taken into custody and charged in connection with a deadly shooting that occurred in Chesapeake over the weekend. Authorities identified the suspect as Cesar Anibal Ramirez Roque. He now faces charges of second-degree murder along with use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
According to the Chesapeake Police Department, the incident unfolded late Saturday night. Around 10:44 p.m., police dispatchers received a 911 call reporting an injured individual in the 2600 block of Harvard Drive, near the Harvard Apartments. Officers and emergency medical teams rushed to the scene, where they discovered 28-year-old Gilberto Mendoza Romas of Chesapeake suffering from a single gunshot wound.
First responders immediately attempted life-saving measures before transporting Romas to a nearby hospital. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was later pronounced dead. The shooting was quickly classified as a homicide, and detectives began working to identify the individual responsible.
By Tuesday, police announced that a suspect had been identified and that charges were likely forthcoming. Later that day, Ramirez Roque was formally arrested and charged in connection with the fatal shooting. Authorities have not released additional details about the events that led up to the violence or whether the suspect and victim knew one another. The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue to piece together the circumstances of the case.
The homicide comes as Chesapeake grapples with ongoing concerns over gun violence. Just days earlier, the city experienced another shooting that left one person dead and two others injured. In response to that incident, Chesapeake Mayor Rick West publicly addressed the community, urging residents to find alternatives to violent conflict.
“You don’t need guns to resolve your conflicts,” West said. “There are people in this community willing to help you, [but] to do this is never the answer.” His message underscored the city’s growing frustration with violent crimes and the need for intervention before disputes escalate into deadly encounters.
The recent killing of Romas has left the community shaken, adding to the string of tragic gun-related incidents in the area. While police have moved swiftly in identifying and arresting a suspect, the death of yet another young resident serves as a sobering reminder of the toll gun violence continues to take.
Authorities have not yet shared whether Ramirez Roque remains in custody without bond or when he is expected to appear in court. Meanwhile, community members and local leaders continue to call for peace and collaboration to help reduce violent crime.
As the investigation progresses, police are encouraging anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward. For now, Chesapeake mourns the loss of 28-year-old Gilberto Mendoza Romas while hoping that accountability through the justice system will bring some measure of closure to his grieving family.
