Prince George’s County Police charged Maryland senior living resident Roy Batson, 63, in the death of two employees at the National Church Residences Gateway Village, a senior living facility in Capitol Heights.
Police said Batson admitted retrieving the gun from his apartment, traveling to the facility’s first floor office and shooting Temple Hills resident Mackeda Evans, 46, and Capitol Heights resident Michelle Boateng, 46.
The police investigation also confirmed that one woman, Michelle Boateng, was both an employee and resident at the facility.
The shooting occurred on Friday at roughly 9:14 a.m., police said in a news release, as officers with the Capitol Heights Police Department were dispatched to the facility. It’s proximity to Capitol Heights Elementary School caused a lockdown to go into effect.
Both Evans and Boateng were pronounced dead at the scene — police said Batson was discovered “on the third floor, laying down in a hallway.”
Officers also said there was an October dispute between Evans and Batson over a violation notice but did not indicate the incident as a motive for the shooting.
National Church Residence has created a staff memorial fund following the shooting at Gateway Village. The organization said that the fund was established to assist the families of Evans and Boateng with expense caused by their death.
Members of the public who wish to donate may do so by going to their website.
Resident said they knew ‘what set him off’
Capitol Heights Police Chief Mark Cummings was first to state that officers found one victim in a corridor and another in the office.
Prince George’s County Deputy Chief Lakina Webster also said the suspect was apprehended without incident. Officials didn’t provide any information on who the shooter or the victims were, or whether they lived or worked in the building.
Cummings also noted that 89 residents were displaced by events that day and that officers were working to get them back in their homes that same day.
A resident who was identified as Donald told The Associated Press that the shooter was his friend living in the complex. He also said that the man was fed up with how residents were treated.
“I know what set him off — the way they treat the seniors in Gateway Village!” Donald added.
He also said that Batson prepared to surrender ahead of police arrival.
“I saw him after the shooting. He had come up to his place. When I stuck my head out after the fire alarm, he was laying prostrate on the floor, arms spread out and the weapon pushed six feet (two meters) in front of him,” Donald said.
WTOP’s Rick Massimo, Will Vitka and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this report misspelled “Batson” as “Baston.”
