PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — The man police say is responsible for the death of a 6-year-old boy during a Fourth of July block party will remain behind bars after a bond hearing at Prince George's County District Court Thursday afternoon.
WUSA9 broke the news last month that Prince George’s County Police confirmed 33-year-old Rakeem Gilgeours of southeast D.C. for six counts including assault and second-degree murder.
Gilgeours was deported to the U.S. from Guyana where police said he was hiding out with family.
Six-year-old Ahsan Payton was killed during a shoot-out at a Fourth of July celebration. Prosecutors allege Gilgeours was attending that party. Payton was one of three people shot during what police described as an exchange of gunfire. Charging documents say an argument between Gilgeours and an unknown person escalated to shots being fired, with Gilgeours firing from the ground into the neighborhood.
Thursday, Gilgeours' defense asked the court for him to be released on private home detention.
They said he is a father of three and has his own company.
After the hearing, the State’s Attorney’s Office called that ask inappropriate, irresponsible and disrespectful to the court.
"We will do everything in our power to get justice for Ahsan, because he deserved to be here," said Prince George's County District Attorney Aisha Braveboy. "At six years old he had his whole life ahead of him. He was enjoying the independence of this country, and he had a right to live that day and every day."
Police are still searching for the second person involved in the shootout. They are asking for the public's help to find that person.
During a press conference last week, Police Chief Malik Aziz made a plea for that shooter to turn themselves in.
“You want to get into shootouts and turn our neighborhoods into anything other than peaceful places that we live work and play where our children play, where Ahsan Payton plays and where we entertain?” said Chief Aziz, “then be a man and turn yourself in because you see these guys behind me (the federal partners), they are going to get you. They are coming for you, and they know who you are they're going to find you.”