Neighbors shocked after man is fatally stabbed inside Alexandria church

Updated 5:50 p.m. ET, Nov. 14: The Alexandria Police Department has identified the victim in the homicide that occurred on Sunday, November 12, 2023, as Emmanuel Negatu, 38, of Centreville, Virginia.

Original report: 

Residents in an Alexandria, Virginia, neighborhood known to be safe and family-oriented were left in shock Sunday after a man died from stab wounds he suffered inside a church.

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The church was identified as the Apostolic Church International Ministry building located in the Del Ray neighborhood. A news release from the Alexandria Police Department said they were called to the scene of the stabbing inside at approximately 4:27 p.m. on Sunday, where they found the victim, identified only as a 38-year-old male.

Neither the church nor police in Alexandria immediately responded to requests for comment from The Christian Post on Tuesday. In court papers cited by NBC Washington a suspect in the killing, identified as 35-year-old Bisrat Shaga, has so far been charged with malicious wounding, a class 3 felony in Virginia that comes with a possible prison sentence of five to 20 years and a fine of up to $100,000.

Shaga, who fled the scene of his alleged crime, was reportedly apprehended by police at gunpoint at 4:56 p.m. at the corner of Mount Vernon and East Monroe Avenues, less than a mile away from the church.

“It's hard to kind of put into words knowing that someone lost their life so close to home within this neighborhood,” Katie Waynick, president of the Del Ray Citizens Association, told NBC Washington.

Another neighbor, Ilia Karas, told the news outlet that the community isn’t known for violence.

“It's a safe neighborhood,” he said. “There's kids walking around in the evening time. And it's a very family-oriented neighborhood. So definitely nothing like this has ever happened.”

Police say Shaga does not have an official address. He is currently being held without bond and is expected to make his first court appearance on Dec. 19.

The Alexandria Police Department is actively investigating the killing and is urging anyone with information to contact Detective Matthew Kramarik via phone at 703.746.6650, email at [email protected], or call the department’s non-emergency line at 703.746.4444.