In the afternoon hours of November 3, 2015, a burst of gunfire shattered the autumn quiet in the 5000 block of Benning Road in Southeast Washington, D.C. When the sounds of the shots faded, 19-year-old Tyree Banks, a Black male, was left gravely wounded. Police and emergency services were dispatched to the scene around 3:34 p.m., where they found the young man suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be too severe, and he succumbed to them shortly after arrival. The incident marked another tragic loss of a young life to gun violence in the city, leaving a family to grieve and a community searching for answers.
The Metropolitan Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation, diligently working to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. Their efforts soon focused on a single suspect, 20-year-old William Lee Lewis IV, also a resident of Southeast D.C. An arrest warrant was issued, charging Lewis with first-degree murder while armed. However, bringing him into custody would prove to be a challenge, as Lewis had fled the Washington, D.C. area in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
The search for William Lee Lewis IV extended beyond the confines of the District of Columbia, culminating in his discovery in South Carolina. In a coordinated effort between law enforcement agencies, Lewis was located and apprehended. Authorities found him hiding in a closet, bringing an end to the manhunt. Following his capture, Lewis was extradited back to Washington, D.C., to face the charges against him for his alleged role in the death of Tyree Banks. The arrest brought a measure of relief to the community, signaling a significant step forward in the pursuit of justice for the slain teenager.
