City Man Charged with Attempted Murder

By WYDaily Staff Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Williamsburg police have arrested a city man on charges of attempted murder after an altercation involving a woman.

Jose Velez, Jr. is being held without bond at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail after he broke into a man’s home while brandishing a large knife and stating he intended to kill the man. Velez is 34 years old.

Williamsburg police investigator Lang Craighill said police were called to the Village of Woodshire apartments in the 100 block of Merrimac Trail around 7 p.m. Monday. The caller said a man was trying to break into an apartment.

Craighill said when police arrived they learned a crowd of around 10 young people had followed Velez, also of the same apartment complex, to another man's apartment. Velez openly carried a knife, Craighill said, with some witnesses describing it as a fixed-blade of about 12 inches. The weapon was not recovered.

Witnesses said Velez and others had a verbal confrontation at the front door, then banged on the side windows and doors before reaching the back door, where they pushed their way into the apartment.

Witnesses told police Velez brandished the knife as he kicked his way into the apartment's locked bedrooms, looking for the man and saying he intended to kill him.

Velez did not find the man and the group dispersed before police arrived. No one was injured.

Craighill said the woman over which there was some dispute lives with the man Velez had sought.

Police later arrested Velez without incident. He faces an attempted murder charge, along with destruction of property and trespass.