A man and a woman are behind bars this week after an explosion of gunfire disrupted the funeral of a young child in Burlington.
Trevonte Jaquan McGhee and Cazaria Monique Russell were ultimately taken into custody following the discharge of automatic gunfire, which occurred outside of Rich & Thompson Funeral Home on Saturday afternoon. Even so, the pair first led police on a high-speed car chase that finally ended when their vehicle crashed into an area home.
This dramatic series of events reportedly began Russell and McGhee visited the premises of Rich & Thompson at 306 Glencoe Avenue while mourners were gathered to lament the recent passing of a 2 1/2 year old child.
According to Burlington’s police department, McGhee started a fight during the child’s funeral before he went into the funeral’s parking lot and discharged several shots from an assault rifle.
Court records indicate that the 24-year-old black male of 2971 Elder Way had obtained this .300 blackout caliber firearm from Russell, a 24-year-old black female who resides at 621 Center Avenue.
The pair reportedly drove off from the scene after the shooting, only to be intercepted by one of the city’s police officers. Russell, who was behind the wheel of the getaway car, allegedly ignored the officer’s signal to pull over, which gave way to a high-speed pursuit that ended when she crashed into a home at 814 Broad Street.
Police officers went on to arrest Russell at the scene of the crash on the felony charges of injury to real property and fleeing to elude arrest. Russell also faces misdemeanors for reckless driving, going armed to the terror of the public, and conspiracy, in addition to a traffic infraction for running a stop sign.
McGhee, for his part, was captured after a foot chase that followed the aforementioned car crash. His charges include misdemeanors for going armed to the terror of the public, disorderly conduct at a funeral, and discharging a firearm within Burlington’s municipal limits. He faces a further felony charge for the illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
Both suspects have been held without bond since their arrests.
