This week at a young girl's funeral, a 30-year-old man was allegedly shot and killed while a woman was injured, leading to the arrest of the funeral home owner on suspicion of murder.
Ronald Banks and another victim were discovered injured, one with a graze wound, when Prince George's County Police Department officers responded to a shooting report at a cemetery in the 4100 block of Suitland Road on Tuesday, June 6. Banks was taken to a neighboring hospital by officials, where he passed away shortly after getting there.
Investigators discovered that Wilson Chavis, 48, is the owner and operator of the funeral facility on Suitland Road, according to the police department. The funeral service was "preparing to get underway" when Chavis allegedly approached the victims and opened fire. At the funeral, Banks was acting as a pallbearer.
Banks and the female victim, according to Prince George's County Police, "are affiliated with a second funeral service company with which Chavis has a long-standing business dispute."
According to reports, some mourners "became upset with Chavis and confronted him over his behavior."
After the shooting, Chavis drove away from the location. But a Morningside Police Department officer spotted him, pulled him over, and then arrested him.
According to NBC Washington Arianna Davis, 10, was shot on Sunday, May 14, in the 3700 block of Hayes Street NE. Banks attended Arianna's burial. 3 days later, she passed away. In exchange for information that results in the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator or suspects, Metropolitan D.C. Police will pay up to $45,000.
On suspicion of first- and second-degree murder, as well as attempted first- and second-degree murder and other offenses, Chavis is currently in custody.
Davis' mother, Antionette Belk, expressed her trauma at the incident taking place at her daughter's final resting place to NBC Washington. Another occurrence occurred before I even had a chance to lay her down or bury her. To me, my kids, and my entire family, this is incredibly distressing. Trauma follows trauma.