Police in Maryland have identified the man who was fatally shot Friday night after a vigil for Minnesota Vikings draftee Khyree Jackson and two other former students at Wise High School in Prince George’s County.
Shahid Omar Jr., 24, of Upper Marlboro, was killed and a woman was shot in the parking lot of the high school around 10 p.m., police said.
Officers found Omar suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, a Prince George’s County police news release said. The woman has injuries that are not life-threatening.
Capt. Sonny Batth, the acting commander of the department’s major crimes division, said police returned to the scene when gunshots were heard after the vigil at the high school auditorium. Police were at the vigil to help with traffic control and left when the majority of the parking lot was cleared.
“(Police) were leaving down the street when they heard gunshots and they quickly turned around, they came back to the scene. They were flagged down by citizens who were actually performing lifesaving measures on the female adult victim,” Batth said.
A weapon was recovered at the scene, and police are still working to identify a suspect and motive.
The shooting took place after a vigil to honor Jackson, 23-year-old Isaiah “Zay” Hazel and 24-year-old Anthony “AJ” Lytton Jr., who died in a crash on Route 4/Pennsylvania Avenue at Presidential Parkway on July 6.
‘I want a season of healing’
Cameron Hyson, a 2018 graduate of Wise High School and a classmate of Jackson, Hazel and Lytton, told WTOP’s Dick Uliano that Omar also went to school with them.
Hyson didn’t attend the vigil, but said he considered Omar a friend and is “praying for his family and his unborn child, his children and his significant other.”
He added, “I want a season of healing and just things to get better on this side of town for everybody.”
When asked about gun violence in the community, Hyson said, “I wish there was more guidance for the youth, more education about guns, because I think there’s a lot of misinformation and people don’t understand how dangerous guns can be.”
Hyson also noted that there are not a lot of “third places” for youth — spots where young people can go besides school, work and home.
Pastor Michael Isaac, of Partakers Church of Christ Ministries in Temple Hills, whose son graduated from Wise High School in 2010, said he’s lived in the area for 19 years. He said he believes that violence has “escalated” since.
Isaac said he grew up in D.C., and “there were always activities going on where it kept the youth engaged” after school.
“We were just more of a community,” he said.
To reduce crime, Isaac said the broader community must come together to support young people.
“Faith without works is dead. That’s what I believe,” Isaac said. “And we have to not just pray, but we need to get involved. There needs to be some action.”
WTOP’s Dick Uliano, Ciara Wells and Matt Kaufax contributed to this report.
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