What to Know
- Rakeem Gilgeours, 33, was arrested in Guyana and now is in Florida, awaiting extradition to Prince George’s County
- He was wanted in the death of 6-year-old Ahsan Payton, who was caught in the crossfire during a shootout at a neighborhood celebration in Temple Hills
- Gilgeours is facing a charge of second-degree murder
Authorities have arrested a man in Guyana who's believed to be responsible for the fatal shooting of a 6-year-old boy at a Fourth of July celebration in Maryland.
Investigators say the victim, Ahsan Payton, was caught in crossfire during a shootout at a neighborhood celebration in Temple Hills.
Police say Rakeem Gilgeours, 33, fled the country after the shooting, before he was identified as a suspect. He was arrested in Guyana and was brought back to the United States. He's now in Florida awaiting extradition to Prince George’s County.
"That’s usually the case when anybody is running. They have friends or family somewhere, and they're seeking cover," Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz said. "And he was seeking cover in Guyana."
Gilgeours is charged with second-degree murder.
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"Call it tragic; call it a gun atrocity, whatever it is. Ahsan Payton isn't with us, and we believe that this person is the reason why," Aziz said.
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New charging documents lay out what happened the night of the shooting on Akron Street. The suspect allegedly pointed a gun at another person, who is still unknown to police. That person then pulled a gun, and both began firing.
Witnesses told detectives that Gilgeours fell down, then raised his gun in the air and fired without regard for others in the area. That's when the little boy was hit.
"To have the loss of a 6-year-old, Ahsan Payton, to this type of gun violence is totally not acceptable," Prince George's County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Barry Stanton said.
Gilgeours was identified as a suspect after police received multiple tips. One gave police the name Rakeem, while another gave them his nickname, ROC. Investigators say they found an Instagram page with that name and eventually identified Rakeem Gilgeours as a suspect. Police also recovered multiple photos and videos from the night of the shooting, allegedly showing Gilgeours at the scene.
They have not yet identified the second suspect.
Ahsan played for the Woodridge Warriors football team in Northeast D.C. The team's new season started a week after his death. His coach said the season was being dedicated to him and that his number was being retired.
On Thursday, Ahsan's football coach said he was glad a suspect was arrested. He said he hopes police catch everyone involved.
Police say two other people were hit by gunfire, but they were expected to be OK.
