One man has been arrested and charged with murder after police in Prince George’s County said he took part in a gunfight outside a banquet hall that left three people dead over the weekend.
The shooting happened early Saturday morning outside Irving’s in Marlow Heights and involved people who were attending a birthday party at the establishment, according to police. Irving’s has been shut down and county officials implied the banquet hall did not follow proper security protocols.
Pierre Davis, 33, of D.C., 26-year-old Kevon Williams, also of D.C., and 27-year-old Ronez Proctor, of Waldorf, Maryland, were killed as a result of the gunfight.
Davis and Williams, police said, killed each other in an exchange of gunfire, while 39-year-old Antonio Lancaster, of Laurel, Maryland, is charged with Proctor’s murder.
Lancaster was arrested after the shooting in Fairfax County, Virginia, and is awaiting extradition to Maryland. He’s been charged with first and second-degree murder as well as two counts of attempted murder and other gun charges.
An argument inside Irving’s, which was hosting the private birthday party, led to the shootout. As of Monday, Irving’s is closed and a hearing will take place to determine whether or not the business can reopen.
“You cannot wreak this kind of havoc in our community and expect to go unpunished,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson said during a news conference on Monday.
Police said Proctor was not armed nor involved in the gunfight. According to charging documents, Proctor tried to help one of the other men who’d been shot, which led to a struggle between him and a group of partygoers. During that struggle, the documents say, Proctor was pushed to the ground, at which point Lancaster approached him and fatally shot him from close range.
“We believe that alcohol contributed to irrational thinking and behavior — not that it excuses anything that happened. But it also explains why it’s really important for these establishments to abide by the law, because if there are disputes, security should be there to address those disputes, both inside and outside of these establishments,” Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said.
During Monday’s news conference, Braveboy said this shooting serves as a warning to businesses in the county that are not prioritizing public safety.
“Having establishments open that late at night without security is a problem, and it’s a problem that will not be tolerated in Prince George’s County,” she said. “This is your notice that we will shut you down, that you must have a security plan on file with the Prince George’s County Police Department, that you must have operating cameras inside and outside of your establishments.”
Police said they believe the men who opened fire outside Irving’s did know each other in some way, as the birthday party was invite-only.
