x
Breaking News
More () »

Man arrested in shooting that killed mother in front of her 8-year-old son

Pamela Thomas, 54, was riding in a car with her son Rufus and her sister when the shots rang out.

WASHINGTON — Editor's Note: The video above was published on Feb. 25, 2022

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested a man accused of a deadly shooting that took the life of Pamela Thomas in front of her 8-year-old son. 

In a news conference, MPD announced the arrest of 22-year-old Dion Lee in Northeast D.C. Friday morning. Lee is charged with first-degree murder while armed for the February shooting.

According to MPD, Lee and another person from a "rival neighborhood" were running in the 500 block of Division Avenue NE when Lee began shooting at the other person. 

Pamela Thomas, 54, was riding in a car with her son Rufus and her sister when the shots rang out. Rufus was able to duck out of the way before the bullet sliced through his hair and hit his mother, killing her.

"He got out of the back seat and said, 'They shot my mom, they shot my mom!' Thomas's sister and Rufus's aunt, Marilyn Walker remembered. "I ran around there and I looked at her. And she was slumped over. She was slumped over on her seat. And I hollered for the police, 'We need help! We need help!'" 

Thomas was taken to a nearby hospital for help but died from her injuries.

Rufus's father and stepfather both died in the past few months. Pamela wrote her own eulogy, fearful she would be next. She kept it scrawled on notebook paper in her home on 54th Street, Northeast.

“My little sister did not deserve to die that way,” exclaimed Walker, also in the car headed to the birthday party – relatives now collateral of a stranger’s gunfight.

The person Lee allegedly was chasing has not been identified. Police originally believed the second person was also shooting but now believe only Lee fired his gun.

Police continue to investigate the deadly shooting. Anyone with information about this case can call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.

MORE ABOUT PAMELA THOMAS: 

WATCH NEXT: 'The bullet flew right past my head' | Mom shot dead by stray bullet in front of 8-year-old son

WUSA9 is now on Roku and Amazon Fire TVs. Download the apps today for live newscasts and video on demand.

Download the WUSA9 app to get breaking news, weather and important stories at your fingertips.

Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter: Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.

Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on January 6, 2021.

Before You Leave, Check This Out