Authorities in D.C. on Monday arrested and charged a 19-year-old in connection with the death of a 10-year-old girl who was struck by a stray bullet on Mother’s Day this year. Per WJLA, the victim, identified as Arianna Davis, and her family were riding in a car on the night of May 14 when she was fatally struck by the stray bullet. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Authorities ultimately used surveillance footage and evidence from a trusted paid confidential source to link Koran Gregory to the shooting. The surveillance footage reviewed by police established the suspects made their way to the scene in a black Audi Q7. They then exited the vehicle and opened fire on a group outside two homes. A bullet from the gunfire fatally struck Davis.
The suspects drove away from the scene in the wake of the shooting and later set the car on fire. Investigators through surveillance footage also noted the suspects frequently entered and exited a particular apartment building and constantly had a gray bookbag in their possession. The bookbag was spotted on the night of the incident.
The suspects being investigated were also identified by the confidential source. The source provided an Instagram account by the name “Ran Ran”, and it was linked to one of the suspects, per WJLA.
The account in question had a link to a rap video on YouTube showing Koran “Ran Ran” Gregory in possession of guns. In a part of the video, the suspect said, “You Pull on my rep and I pull out the book bag.” At the time he said that, the video showed someone in possession of a gray backpack that was similar to the one the two suspects wore, per court documents.
The gray backpack was also spotted on another Instagram page likely linked to a second suspect. That page was tagged by the aforementioned Instagram account. Gregory has since been charged with first-degree murder while armed.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, a man who was serving as a pallbearer at Davis’ burial on June 6 was fatally shot by a funeral home owner during the ceremony. The accused, identified as 48-year-old Wilson Chavis, was contracted to render funeral services for the deceased minor’s family.
According to NBC4 Washington, the deceased girl’s mother, Antionette Belk, said the suspect interrupted the service that was being held at the Washington National Cemetery. Besides the shooting death of family friend Ronald Steven Banks, a family member also got injured from the shooting.
The incident also happened before the minor was buried. “I’m so traumatized that this happened at my daughter’s burial site,” Belk said. “I didn’t even get to lay her down, even to put her in the ground, and another incident happened. This is so traumatizing to me, my children, my whole family. It’s trauma after trauma.”
During the commencement of the burial ceremony, Chavis is said to have gotten into an altercation with two people who were linked to another funeral home that the suspect had an ongoing business feud with, police said.
Court documents also stated that a verbal and physical altercation ensued, with Chavis directing words toward the pastor who was overseeing the service, per WUSA9. “I’m here for all you b—- a– n——,” the suspect allegedly said. The pastor apparently did not react, but Chavis allegedly shoved him before saying, “This ain’t your f—— funeral home.”
Chavis was ultimately confronted by the funeral attendees for showing no respect to the mourning family, but he tripped and fell as he began to retreat. Court documents stated that he subsequently drew a gun and fired at Banks. A woman also got grazed by the second bullet the suspect fired after he stood up.
Belk told NBC4 Washington that Banks was a close family friend who was serving as a pallbearer for her daughter’s funeral. She also said that the dispute between Chavis and the other funeral home “had nothing to do with me and my family.”
Police said Chavis was later arrested after he left the cemetery in his car and has since been charged with first and second-degree murder, attempted first and second-degree murder, and related charges.
