A rising young father’s life came to a devastating end late Saturday night in Alexandria, Va., leaving his family and friends grappling with loss and unanswered questions. Twenty-nine-year-old Kory Anding was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the 3400 block of Berkeley Street just after 11 p.m., according to the Alexandria Police Department. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly after 11 p.m. on October 25 , officers responded to reports of gunfire. When they arrived, Anding lay unresponsive and gravely injured. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and attempts to save him proved unsuccessful. The scene was chaotic, loved ones say, and a hush fell over the neighborhood as investigators began their work.
Authorities identified 26-year-old Damontie James, also of Alexandria, as the suspect who was still at the scene when police arrived. He was taken into custody without incident. He now faces charges of second-degree murder and the unlawful use of a weapon during a felony. While preliminary information suggests the shooting stemmed from an altercation involving James’s sister, the full circumstances remain under investigation by law enforcement.
As the investigation continues, the police are gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. Residents and relatives say they saw the aftermath of what they describe as a “senseless” act of violence. The department is urging anyone with information to come forward so justice can be served and the family can begin to heal.
Those who knew Kory remember him as a kind soul, always ready with a smile and a helping hand. Friends say he was fiercely loyal and deeply cared about his family—especially his young child, whom he doted on. His sudden death has left a community grieving and reflecting on how fragile life can be.
In the quiet of the neighborhood the morning after, flowers and candles appeared outside the apartment building at Berkeley Street. Neighbors spoke of hearing gunfire in the distance but never imagining that someone they knew—someone with such warmth—would be the victim. One resident said, “You expect things like this to happen somewhere else, not here, not to someone like Kory.”
The Anding family is now facing the unimaginable: planning a funeral for a son, a partner and a father lost far too soon. They have not yet announced the arrangements but say they will in the days ahead. The community remains on edge, seeking answers and longing for a measure of peace amid the grief.
