Prince George’s County police say fight following funeral leads to shooting in Suitland

SUITLAND, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The funeral for Eric Byrd, who was shot to death in the District on July 20, was set to begin with a viewing at 10 a.m. followed by the service at 11 a.m. in Suitland Monday. The location was Deliverance Headquarters — a church in a strip mall on Walls Lane.

The exact sequence of events is still unclear but police say at around 1 p.m. they received a call about a fight in progress in the parking lot of the strip mall and when officers arrived they found approximately 100 people fighting in the middle of Suitland Road. 

"The first officer arrived — second officer arrived and they are trying to deal with those who were involved in a physical fight — the crowd is starting to move" said Prince George's County Police spokesman Jennifer Donelan. "While they are on scene dealing with that very tense situation they hear multiple gunshots break out about 200 yards up the street from where I am — in front of a townhome development — they see a sedan speeding away from the townhouse development.”

The officers responding to the gunshots found an adult male inside a car stopped just off Suitland Road in the townhouse community. Witnesses told FOX 5 the car's windows were shattered by the gunfire and there were bloody clothes on the ground.

Donelan said the man was transported to a local hospital in grave condition. There was no description of the car fleeing the scene.

In a tweet, Prince George's County Fire and EMS said two people were taken to a trauma center and two other victims "went to medical facilities as walk-ins".

It's unclear how many were shot. Police have confirmed just one shooting victim so far.

The reason for the fight is still under investigation. There have been no arrests.