A Maryland owner of the Compassion and Serenity Funeral Home allegedly shot a pallbearer during the burial procession of a 10-year-old girl killed on Mother’s Day because of a persistent business dispute.
While at the burial of Arianna Davis, a ten-year-old killed in a drive-by shooting while sleeping in her family’s car in Washington DC, Wilson Chavis killed 30-year-old Ronald Banks as he was serving as a pallbearer for the funeral.
Chavis, 48, confronted the pastor from Freeman Funeral Services. He yelled, “I’m here for all you b**** a** n****.” According to court documents reports, he pushed the pastor and told him, “This ain’t your f****** funeral home,”
Banks and other funeral attendants confronted Chavis for “disrespecting the family’ during the burial. The aggressor allegedly backed up and tripped, falling over a concrete vault lid. He angrily got up and drew a gun from his waistband. Witnesses reported Chavis said, “I own this body!” and spat at the pastor before he opened fire on the funeral procession. After attempting to flee, he was arrested at a traffic stop and charged with first, second-degree, and attempted murder by Prince George County police.
Davis’ cousin Antionette Belk was shot in the leg during the shooting. She told NBC Washington, “I’m so traumatized that this happened at my daughter’s burial site. I didn’t even get to lay her down, even to put her on the ground, and another incident happened. This is so traumatizing to me, my children, and my whole family. It’s trauma after trauma.”
The head of Freeman Funeral Services reported that the company filed for a temporary peace order against Chavis before the killing of Banks for exhibiting harassing behavior. The order was dismissed on the morning of the Tuesday, June 6 shooting.
