No bond for man accused in Temple Hills July 4 shooting that left 6-year-old dead
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - The man accused in a Fourth of July shooting in Temple Hills that left a six-year-old boy dead was denied bond in his first court appearance in Upper Marlboro Thursday afternoon.
Rakeem Gilgeours, the man accused of shooting and killing Ashan Payton, was ordered held without bond by a judge in the Prince George's County Circuit court.
Six-year-old Payton died two days after being shot on the Fourth of July. The little boy and his family live in D.C. but they were at an Independence Day gathering on Akron Street in Temple Hills celebrating the holiday when shots rang out just before 8 p.m.
Two adults — a man and a woman — were also injured in the shooting. They both survived.
Prince George's County police have charged 33-year-old Rakeem Gilgeours with second-degree murder, assault and reckless endangerment.
Gilgeours, a father of three, was arrested in South America. Authorities say he flew to Guyana on July 8 and had $12,000 in cash on him when police placed him in custody.
RELATED: Suspect in Temple Hills July Fourth shooting that killed 6-year-old arrested in Guyana
"And we will do everything in our power again to get justice for Ashan because he deserves to be here. At six years old he had his whole life ahead of him," Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy
Braveboy says they do believe a second gunman was involved but neither she nor Assistant State's Attorney Sherrie Waldrup would speak of a possible motive behind the shooting.
"I can tell you it was not a drive-by. Mr. Gilgeours was someone who was attending the event that day," Waldrup told media.
Besides calling him a danger to the community, the judge says Gilgeours has several aliases, previous parole violations, prior assault convictions and has his own private transportation company.
Prosecutors say it was tips from the community that led to his arrest. He's due back in court on Sept. 6.