he is charged with murder in the death of deandre smith. the two had been friends, but were involved in an escalating dispute. smith was lowered into an alley suspect came from behind a dumpster and shot her repeatedly. police are investigating a deadly shooting near gallaudet university. the victim was found shot in the chest. he was taken to the hospital, where he later died. 's identitythe victim or if there are any suspects. a judge decided to delay a trial charles severance's concerns about his attorney. he is charged in the murders of three high profile alexandria residents over the course of a decade. the trial will continue at 10:00 tomorrow morning when the defense is set to present its case. firefighters are trying to figure out what caused a home to go up in flames this morning. this was taken when firefighters first got there around 8:00 a.m. flames shooting out the front of the home. no one was home at the time. no firefighters were hurt. some traffic trouble near alexandria. down wires forced officials to shut down route 1. >>

investigators say 21-year-old deandre smith was shot in the head behind the laundromat just before 6:00 last night. a good samaritan saw the shooter and tried to chase down the gunman. police believe the victim who was first referred to as a woman but later identified as a man was targeted. crime solvers is offering a rewart for up to $10,000 for any information leading up to an arrest. >>> the charles severance murder trial continued. they heard the 911 call by sheriff jim dunning. he begs for help after finding his wife bleeding and without a pulse. he's one of three people severance is accused of killing. david culver will be in the courtroom. you can follow him on twitter for updates throughout the day. >>> activists are unveiling a six-point plan on improving the baltimore police department. it includes quality arrests, issuing a gag order on police misconduct a misconduct. the six officers charged in freddie gray's death are being charged separately. >>> the protesters could meet with the new pleegs commissioner today. 16 people were arrested for refusing to leave the building.

zella ziona, whose legal name is deandre smith, was shot to death by 20-year-old rico leblond on thursdayow in custody charged with first-degree murder. smith's aunt says her family is grappling with their beliefs, she believes this murder was a hate crime. >> when you're transgender, gay, straight, whatever, all lives matter. >> leblond has significant criminal history including theft and attempted murder charges. he will be in court monday. >>> police are searching for a gunman after a zombie festival in florida turns deadly. also, despite being handcuffed, this prince george's county man was able to escape from a police cruiser and assault several officers in the process. 21-year-old giovante young was arrested in laurel during a traffic stop. that's where he assaulted the first two officers, been on his way to prisoner processing in hyattsville, he escaped the police cruiser and assaulted a third officer. he kicked, spit and that the officer. he had to be tased. both young and the third officer were sent to the hospital. >>> the hunt is on for a man police say fatally shot a woman. sh

this afternoon he is identified as 21-year-old deandre smith who lived in montgomery village and died after shots rang out. police say this was not a random act. it appears this man was targeted. here's what some of the residents are saying about the crime. >> it is society, things are happening all the time. >> all i saw was the police cars lined up your and i knew at that point i was not supposed to come to this. . >> this was a very busy time and location last night. they believe there are more people out there that may have seen something that may be discounting what they saw. john: police do not have a good description of the group that got away but are looking at surveillance cameras, and are investigating to see if this man's appearance had anything to do with this vicious crime. john gonzales, abc 7 news. autria: the group campaign for justice getting ready to hold a rally and news conference in baltimore. here is a live look at them gathering in baltimore. they are outlining their six-point plan for police reform in the city. ismonday, the city council set to vote on whether

the victim's 21-year-old deandre smith from montgomery village. there is a dumpster and a signed tilted on its side. the gunfiree happened. a witness said he saw the whole thing while he was cowering in his car parked nearby. ries of anguish at this gaithersburg shopping center, now a homicide scene. it just happened so fast. it was kind of scary. richard: a witness saw the gunfire at 5:50 thursday night in this back parking lot. he saw the victim surrounded by five teenagers. there was an argument and then one of them pulled a gun. >> they argued, and it happened so fast. i do not know what they argued for. from the beginning to the shooting took two minutes. richard: the witness heard four to five gunshots. after a medical examination, they determined the person was a man who was badly wounded. >> they found the victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. the detectives do not believe this was a random shooting. he died at the hospital. officers searched rooftops, garbage dumpsters, and on the ground for evidence. they are also

. >> reporter: born deandre smith, she was a 21-year-old transgender woman. in the process of transitioning. >> he didn't deserve to be killed like this. no matter what his lifestyle was. >> do you think that's what it was about? >> i don't know. [ crying ] >> reporter: montgomery county detectives do not believe the shooting was random. witnesses say they heard a group of men arguing in the alley just before four or 5 gunshots were fired. they saw several men running from the scene. police say the murder "may have been based on appearances", referring to her gender. >> at night, you will get people -- you have people getting jumped, you have people get robbed, you have people get in fights. >> reporter: whatever happened, ziona's family says it couldn't have happened to a happier person. >> he always made us laugh, no matter what the situation was. he had this infectious smile. [ crying ] >> just beautiful, beautiful spirit. >> reporter: there were several witnesses to the shooting. there was one person who was actually with ziona at the time. that person wa

the family called her by her pre transition name of deandre smith. >> i am glad he is off the street d not able to harm anyone. but again, it doesn't bring back deandre. > lablonde is scheduled to appear in court. the parents of a wdbj reporter shot on the street continue their fight. they joined forces with the group every town for begun safety to support political candidates pushing for gun legislation. > we are advocating that legislators change the laws to prevent people that shouldn't have guns from getting them. universal background checks and closing loopholes. >> as parents you should not have to worry if your child is going to school, to work or to a movie -- you shouldn't have to wonder if they are going to come home alive. >> the parkers are scheduled to take part in a similar event on sunday in woodbridge. >> towson police are investigating after a smartphone was recovered from the women's swimming and diving team's locker room. a school spokesperson says the device may have recorded athletes in the changing room. the school was offering counseling to team members. the tex

initially investigators released her pretransition name, deandre smith. her friends who created the memorial here said she started her gender transition recently and they suspect that is why she was killed. >> one bullet has left so many people hurt and broken. mike: the family says zella ziona was a member of the family, living in the montgomery village home for six months. like her high school friend, zella just turned 21. >> i'm hurt. that was my best friend. my sister. my everything. mike: gunned down in an alley where witnesses describe her being surrounded by four or five men and sounded by sound of gunshot. they are convinced this is a hate crime. >> whoever did this deserves crime. >> watch the company you keep. you are loyal to even, but everybody not loyal to you. mike: police say there are potential motives in the case but it's possible this is a hate crime. detectives are seeking and reviewing surveillance camera footage at the busy lawnry matt and the businesses along -- laundromat and the businesses along the alley. >> there are quite a few

mourning the murder of zella ziona, a transgender woman known as deandre smith. ninge thank you for loa him to us for 21 euros. -- 21 years. roz: one of his friends was actedassed after ziona flamboyant in front of him at the mall. the evening of the 15th, there was a fight. somebody struck her with a stick , lord her into the alley, then -- lured her into the alley, and then shot her. friends and relatives are wearing memorial t-shirts that say #stopthehate. mother,aves behind her three brothers, and extended family, who find themselves thrust into a new role, advocating for trans-genders. like of this i would newfound respect for what they go through because it's hard. it's hard battling with whoever they want to be. z: the suspect has his first court appearance at district court tomorrow afternoon. roz plater, abc 7 news. kellye: in prince george's county, and arrested a deadly standing in temple hills. gt thomas is charged with the murder of avery. it appears an argument broke out between them, leading to the stabbing. thomas is being held without bond. the p

zella was a transgender woman formerly known as deandre smith. she was shot behind a shopping center in montgomery village last week. investigators say leblond and the victim knew each other. >>> police say they have made an arrest in connection with the stabbing death of a man in prince george's county. 45-year-old gg marie thomas is charged with murder. the man was found inside a temple hills home. police believe the two had a heated argument that led to the stabbing. >>> police are investigating the 125th homicide of the year. one man was shot and killed about:00 this morning in the 19 -- about -- about 2:00 this morning. police have not released any information about a possible motive or suspect. police are focusing their investigation on this car seen in the background although the circumstances are not clear. >>> a family is mourning the loss of its two beloved pets. the dogs died in a house fire before 8:00 this morning along sea pleasant drive near hedge leaf avenue. that's where our reporter is, who tells us the fire chief is using this

reporter: jim, that new information is the victim has been identified by police as 21-year-old deandre smith of gaithersburg. that good semayor tan you mentioned, he said what he saw made him so angry, he didn't even think about his own safety. >> all i heard was gunshots and looked to my right and saw somebody standing over a person, fired two more shots and i took pursuit. blew my horn, you know, i stayed on my horn long enough to get his attention. when he looked up, he took off running and he come down here -- >> reporter: the man whether tried to pursue the gunman, his name is joe, drove up to a curb and across a grassy area by the parking lot later interviewed by detecti detectives. the shooting happened about 5:45 p.m., broad daylight in an alley and parking lot between two shopping centers. yellow crime scene markers were placed near a tote bag and par of sandals. initiate communications referred to the victim as a woman but police spokesman later identified the victim as a man. >> the case is very fluid. at this time, detectives do not believe this was a random sho shooting. >> repo

the family is remembering the victim by the victim's legal name, deandre smith. >> reporter: only a year apart, thomas says she and her cousin were best friends. >> i just want to know why. why do you take such a beautiful and amazing soul? >> reporter: while she group pals with this, her mother said -- while she grapples with this, her mother said she believes she knows why. >> i do believe this was a hate crime. >> reporter: he was a transgender female. charging documents along the suspect in smith's murder, 20- year-old ricoh leblond, may have been angered and embarrassed that information on their relationship had become public. smith suffered gunshot wounds to the head and groin area, according to police. >> he was out on the street. >> reporter: that was thomas' reaction to learning leblond has a significant criminal history including theft and attempted murder charges which appear to be connected to the 2013 twinbrook metro stabbing. >> it's been really rough the last couple of days. >> reporter: could lanny thomas said they supported the victim as zella sigh ziona. >> reporter: in

the name of the victim, 21-year- old deandre smith. haake spoke to an eyewitness. >> reporter: a witness who was here and watched the suspects flee said this entire incident started with some kind of argument between as many as half a dozen people. the witness told me he heard four or five shots and called 911. by the time police arrived on the scene the suspect or suspects had fled back down the avenue. police weren't sure who they were looking for. in the alley they found a male victim with at least one gunshot wound to the head. an ambulance raced that man to the hospital for treatment but a few hours later doctors pronounced him dead. the witness to the shooting was sitting in his car in the alley when it happened. he asked us not to show his face. >> reporter: what's going through your mind during all this? >> i was terrified at the time. i couldn't believe it happened here. this area is kind of safe, you know. >> reporter: one other element of note. when police arrived on the scene they initially identified the victim as a woman.

. >> zella started as deandre smith, the legal name and name family prefers for her. >> de'andre andella what he's known to become. in my heart, he's always de'andre. i told him that. i said regardless of what make up, hair, i look at you as my nephew. i've got the same love for you whether -- anything. >> zella lived proudly as a transgender woman. a fact acknowledged by those that still called her him. >> most of all, i thank you that he wasn't ashamed to walk in his walk. he knew who he was. he didn't care about who didn't like him. >> police believe zella's gender may have been a motive in her killing. she had some sort of friendship with her killer. the recent disclosure angered and embarrassed him, maybe enough to kill. at the vigil, the why question was secondary to remembering someone who taught those around her so much about love by any name. in maryland and 15 other states, a crime motivated by gender identity can be the basis for hate crime charge. no such charges filed in this case yet. wusa 9. >>> the national coalition of antiviolence program say the murder is 22nd homi

police say 21-year-old deandre smith was shot in the head behind the laundromat on contour road just after 6:00. a witness saw the shooting and tried to chase down the gunman. crime solvers is offering a reward up to $10,000 for any information leading up to an arrest. >>> today the mother of a 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a police officer in ohio speaks out about the investigation into his death. samaria rice will hold a news conference today with her attorney about new reports. two new reports released last weekday say the officer who shot tamir rice was justified or his actions were reasonable. the report also said he acted reasonably under the law when he shot rice last november. rice says he shot immediately without an investigation. >>> jason goolsbee forcibly detained has gone viral. he was detained monday by police because a family member said they felt threatened by him. goolsbee's attorney said the 18-year-old went to an atm to get money but changed his mind. as he was leaving the bank he held the door for a family member who called police saying they felt thr

. >>> charged with the murder of 21-year-old deandre smith. it was thursday afternoon that smith and lablond had had an argument near the lake forest mall and later lablond shot her, shooting her multiple times in the head and torso. today prosecutors say that lablond has been segregated from the population in the jail pending his first court date for his own personal safety. they say the victim and the suspect had been friends since middle school, but they don't know the motive of this murder and that becomes a big issue as to whether or not to charge this as a hate crime because she was open about her sexuality and that may have led lablond to kill her, it's going to be a long process and hopefully at the end of all of this justice is served. >> coming up at 5:00, you will hear from both the family and the state's attorney on the decision on whether to charge this as a hate crime. in montgomery county, mark segraves, news 4. >>> if you're about to head out the door avoid the beltway and silv silver spring. this raging car fire and we shot th

montgomery village plaza before 6:00 last night to think about what they saw or heard. 21-year-old deandre smith was shot and killed near the shopping center. police say it was a busy time in the area and they need the help of witnesses. we're closing out week two of the trial in alexandria. the prosecution's latest witness was a medical examiner who gave graphic details about the death of nancy dunning in her last hour. she died of three gunshot wounds, including one in the head fired at close range. severance is accused of killing dunning. transportation planner ron kirby and music teacher. >>> another big story we're following. temperatures about to take a deep dive. >> that's right. meteorologist lauren ricketts is standing by with an update. lauren, what's happening? >> are you ready for chilly conditions coming our way? >> we know it has to come. >> we can't escape it. i thought we would float through the fall but the temperatures will tumble. not today. today will be around seasonable. we have that wind out there. it makes it feel cooler than our temperature right now at 61 degrees. we'll

. >> reporter: the family of 21-year-old deandre smith who went by the name zella ziona have no doubt that she was killed for being transgender. >> he was a likable, lovable person and it would be no other reason other than hate. >> reporter: family members wore t-shirts in court remembering their loved one. >> just to keep deandre with us, everywhere we go, just to have him. >> the prosecutors were cautious about bringing hate crime charges, pointing out that leblond already faces life without parole if convicted of the murder charge. >> we are dictated not by emoti emotion. we are dictated by facts, logic and what the law requires us to do. >> reporter: ziona had known the defendant since middle school and the two were in an argument early last wednesday. about an hour after the confrontation, 20-year-old rico leblond hid behind a dumpster waiting to confront ziona again. he fired one shot from a distance and stood over the victim firing the gun repeatedly hitting her in the head and groin. prosecutors say they can't recall a deadly attack on a transgender before this. >> the nautur

previously identified as 21-year-old deandre smith. he confirmed today what i heard from several friends that this was a transgender woman. stark said in their investigation today, detectives spoke with the family and friends of the victim. we have noted in the reporting there are multiple surveillance cameras in the alley. a lot of foot and vehicular traffic at the nearby lake forest mall. when the shooting happened last night at 6:00, the witnesses tell us they heard four or five gunshots and surrounded by four or five teenagers or young men. a constant flow of customers in the nearby laundromat that had surveillance on the back door, where a lot of people go in and out. i spoke to a staff member about that today. we don't have the sound bite from the staff member but he said a lot of people come to the alley because it's more convenient to carry laundry. police are urging anyone who know anything to contact the police. there are potential witnesses in the case. coming up tonight at 6:00, only on 7, hear from close friends of the vic

family members of deandre smith who went by the name zella ziona say it's time for him to be locked up good. >> he doesn't need to be out on the street any longer. he doesn't deserve to walk the streets any longer. >> reporter: according to prosecutors ziona had known the defendant since middle school. the two had been involved in an argument early last thursday. about an hour after that confrontation, prosecutors say 20-year-old rico leblond put a mask on and hid behind a dumpster waiting to confront ziona again. witnesses say leblond fired one shot from a distance and then stood over the victim firing the gun repeatedly hitting her in the head and groin. ziona was a transgender. prosecutors say it's too soon to know if he'll be charged with a hate crime. >> where do the facts lead you and what do the facts tell you what the real motivation is. >> family members say leblond should lose his freedom just like he did. >> my nephew doesn't have the freedom to be here anymore and that's what justice is to me. >> reporter: leblond is facing life without parole plus 20 years for the current