The owner of a Maryland funeral home is charged with fatally shooting a pallbearer at a burial service for a 10-year-old girl on Tuesday.
Wilson Chavis, 48, owner and director of the Compassion and Serenity Funeral Home, is accused of killing Ronald Banks, 30. The shooting erupted during a business dispute with employees of a rival funeral home.
Banks was a pallbearer at the funeral service for his 10-year-old cousin, Arianna Davis.
Arianna died in a drive-by shooting while asleep in the backseat of a car on Mother’s Day, according to Fox 5 DC.
Arianna was being buried at Washington National Cemetery in Suitland when the gunfire erupted, Fox 5 DC reported.
Banks, of Southeast D.C., was killed and one other person was wounded in the shooting.
Chavis is charged with first- and second-degree murder and attempted murder, according to Prince George’s County police.
Police say Chavis arrived at the funeral uninvited and confronted a pastor and another person who were affiliated with Freeman Funeral Service.
“I’m here for all you b*tch as* ni**as!,” he shouted according to court documents obtained by WUSA 9.
Chavis allegedly rushed the pastor and yelled, “This ain’t your f***ing funeral home.”
“I own this body!” he allegedly said in reference to Arianna.
When several mourners tried to stop Chavis, he tripped and fell over a concrete vault lid, according to witnesses. He immediately pulled a gun out and opened fire. He fired another round as he stood up.
Glenda Freeman, who owns Freeman Funeral Services, recently filed for an order of protection against Chavis for allegedly threatening her employees.
The order of protection expired on the day of the shooting, according to Fox 5 DC.
