WASHINGTON — Editor's Note: The video above originally aired on April 1, after police announced the arrest of Dion Lee.
Bond was denied Saturday for a 22-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Pamela Thomas, 54, on Feb. 9 in front of her 8-year-old son.
Metropolitan Police Department announced Friday that Dion Lee, 22, of Northeast D.C. was arrested Friday morning in connection to Thomas' death. Lee faces charges for first-degree murder while armed.
According to MPD, Lee and another person from a "rival neighborhood" were running in the 500 block of Division Avenue Northeast when Lee began shooting at the other person. A bullet struck Thomas who was riding in a car with her son, Rufus, and her sister, Marilyn Walker-Gresham, all of whom were on their way to a birthday party.
Investigators said Friday they hoped the arrest brought some closure to Thomas' family.
Lee made his initial appearance in court Saturday afternoon. After he was denied bond by a judge, WUSA9 spoke to Thomas' sister, Walker-Gresham, about how the family is handling the news of this arrest.
“I miss her, you know, and I'm so glad that they got the guy off the street,” Walker-Gresham said. “I forgive him but he has to pay for where he done.”
Walker-Gresham said the judge's decision to deny bond is a small victory for her family, adding there are no true winners in this case.
Having witnessed her sister's death, Walker-Gresham said she is still traumatized when she gets in a vehicle.
“When I get in my vehicle now ... I still, you know, look around,” she said.
Walker-Gresham said she hopes the man accused of killing her sister understands the impact of his decisions.
“See young man, I hope that you understand the condition and ... and the grief that we — my family — are going through,” she said. “I just say to you that ... while [you're] behind those bars, ask God for forgiveness. You know he'll forgive you.”
MORE ABOUT PAMELA THOMAS:
- Man arrested in shooting that killed mother in front of her 8-year-old son
- 'She was a good mom' | DC boy, 8, remembers his mother at her funeral
- For the boy who escaped a bullet – a vigil for his mother, and a vow to find her killer
- Foundation reaches out to help 3rd grader who witnessed his mother's death
- New photos released of suspect wanted in shooting that killed mom in front of son
- Donations flood in to support DC boy who escaped a bullet that killed his mom
- 'The bullet flew right past my head' | DC boy says he ducked round that killed his mom