Five men have been found guilty of the murder of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson, and a sixth man is guilty of conspiring with the others before the shooting.
Four of the five men convicted of first-degree premeditated murder were found guilty on all 19 counts they faced, including multiple assault with intent to kill charges, conspiracy, being a member of a gang and possession of a firearm.
“Justice has been served, but it doesn’t bring back the young lady, Makiyah Wilson,” interim Chief of Police Ashan Benedict said.
“This is what the hard work of delivering accountability looks like,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves said.
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In the early evening of July 16, 2018, masked gunmen jumped out of an Infiniti sedan and opened fire on a group of people inside the courtyard of an apartment complex at Clay Terrace in Northeast D.C. The gunmen fired more than 50 shots before driving away.
Makiyah, who was sitting on a front porch, died, and four others were wounded.
The getaway car, which police said was stolen, was found in Oxon Hill, Maryland, days after the shooting. A woman who was the victim of a carjacking told News4 the car was hers.
“This brazen assault left multiple individuals shot and a 10-year-old child killed,” Graves said.
Prosecutors said the defendants bragged about the shooting in music videos.
Makiyah was the youngest of four siblings and had recently finished the fourth grade and celebrated her 10th birthday.
Prosecutors and jurors said social media played a big role in the case. Prosecutors said it was the motive for the shooting, and one juror said the posts played in court were the defining moment in determining guilty or innocence.
“It’s just a sense of relief, you know,” said Pandora Wilson, Makiyah's grandmother. “It’s almost like I’m numb, you know. I’m glad they were found guilty but I also feel bad for their families, you know what I’m saying, because it’s a lose lose situation. Nobody wins.”
Sentencing is scheduled for October. The murder charge carries a sentence of 30 years to life.
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