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Man convicted in deadly July 4 shooting of 6-year-old to be sentenced Friday

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Published  December 19, 2025 1:55pm EST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • Rakeem Gilgeours, 34, is set to be sentenced Friday after being convicted in the July 4, 2024 Temple Hills shooting that killed 6-year-old Ahsan Payton.
    • Payton was caught in the crossfire during a neighborhood celebration; two other men were also injured.
    • Gilgeours, who fled to Guyana before his arrest, faces up to 60 years in prison.

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - The man convicted of killing a 6-year-old in a 2024 July 4 shooting in Temple Hills is expected to be sentenced on Friday. 

What we know:

34-year-old Rakeem Gilgeours was found guilty in August of first-degree assault, illegal possession of a firearm, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. 

6-year-old Ahsan Payton was caught in the crossfire of the shooting in the 4500 block of Akron Street and died two days later. 

The backstory:

The shooting happened during a neighborhood July 4 celebration, injuring two other men as well. 

Gilgeours, a father of three, was arrested in South America. Authorities say he flew to Guyana on July 8 and had $12,000 in cash on him when police placed him in custody.

"The defendant chose to not only bring a gun to a neighborhood event where families and children were present but also made the decision to use it," said State’s Attorney Tara Jackson. "His actions and the actions of others have left a family and community devastated."

Gilgeours faces up to 60 years in prison.

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