Emotions ran high in the courtroom Monday as suspects in the killing of a 10-year-old girl in D.C. faced a judge hours after one man turned himself in to police custody.
The family of Makiyah Wilson was ushered out of the courtroom after tensions boiled over during a court appearance for two men charged with first-degree murder while armed.
Exactly six weeks after Wilson was shot outside her Northeast Washington home, two of her accused killers appeared in court for the first time.
Qujuan Thomas, 20, of Southeast D.C., was arrested Saturday, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said at a press conference. Quentin Michals, 21, turned himself in to police Monday morning.
Family members of the accused were also in the courtroom on Monday.
"The lady's son was in the courtroom," one witness said. "That's when all that confusion started. They wanted a fight."
"The marshals told everybody to get out," he said.
"We don't want a fight. We want justice," one of Wilson's family members said. Many members of the family were crying and hugging each other outside the courtroom.
Michals and Thomas texted each other about guns, according to court documents. The texts also referenced a car that was captured on surveillance video at the scene of the shooting.
Wilson was returning to her home from an ice cream truck on July 16 when five men jumped out of a car and opened fire into a crowd, police said.
Court documents revealed that 76 shots were fired. Wilson was struck in the back.
Police are still looking for information on the three other men and ask anyone with information to contact police. There's a reward of up to $45,000 for information in the case.
The shooting stemmed from a conflict between two feuding neighborhood crews, according to court documents.
Four other people, including Wilson's 18-year-old sister, were shot and wounded.
"When she actually passed and took her last breath, she was laying right there in front of her doorway," Donnetta Wilson said in a previous interview.
Police said more than 60 shots were fired before the men got back in the car and sped off. Police believe a fifth suspect stayed inside the Infiniti sedan.
The car, which Newsham says was stolen, was found in Oxon Hill, Maryland, days after the shooting. An exact location was not released.
A woman who was the victim of a carjacking told News4 that her vehicle was used in the shooting.
Bowser said Wilson's death was devastating.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
"She should have returned to school this week," Bowser said. "We won’t be satisfied until we find justice in her murder."
At Wilson's funeral, faith leaders urged the community to help police find the gunmen.
"This is a outright violation, and you should demand that whoever those cowards are, they can’t sleep, they can’t eat," minister Rahim Jenkins said at Wilson's funeral.
Wilson had recently completed fourth grade and was enjoying her summer break, Wilson's grandmother, Pandora Wilson, said.
"Makiyah, she was special," Pandora Wilson said. "She loved football. She loved all kinds of sports."
Wilson was the youngest of four siblings and had recently celebrated her 10th birthday.
"It's so hard to put it in words because it don't feel real, you know?" Pandora Wilson said. "It's so senseless."
Police camera footage shows the moments the masked gunmen pulled up to the courtyard and opened fire while families were outside.
"At 8 o'clock at night, this is a full courtyard. It's full of children, it's full of families," said Wilson's cousin, Raven Hall.
The family has pleaded for the suspects to come forward.
"God's gonna see that they get their justice," Pandora Wilson said. "They are gonna have to answer for it, whether it's down here or up there."
It wasn’t immediately clear if the Thomas and Michaels had an attorney who could speak to the charges.
Anyone with information is asked to call 202-727-9099. Those wishing to remain anonymous may text a message to 50411.
