In what should have been a joyous Fourth of July block party in Temple Hills, Maryland, six-year-old Ahsan Payton’s life was tragically cut short. On July 4, 2024, the young boy was caught in the crossfire of a shootout that erupted during the neighborhood celebration on Akron Street. Ahsan was struck by a stray bullet and rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries two days later, on July 6, 2024. Two other adults sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to identify Rakeem Gilgeours as a suspect. Witnesses reported seeing a dispute between two individuals escalate into gunfire. According to charging documents, at least one witness saw Gilgeours fall to the ground and fire a handgun indiscriminately into the crowd.
Following the shooting, Gilgeours fled the country and was later apprehended in Guyana with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals. He was then extradited back to the United States to face charges.
Rakeem Gilgeours, who had a prior criminal record including a conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon, was charged with second-degree murder and other related offenses in connection with Ahsan's death. In August 2025, a jury convicted Gilgeours of first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and illegal possession of a firearm. Subsequently, he was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison, receiving the maximum sentence for each of the charges against him. The judge presiding over the sentencing described the incident as a 'wild west shootout' that should never have happened.
