A Suitland man got in a fight at a Prince George’s County bar, went home to grab a handgun and then returned to open fire at a crowd as it exited, killing a 32-year-old woman and seriously injuring a 34-year-old man. Adrian Francis Lewis, 31, now faces up to 100 years in prison after a county jury convicted him Monday of murdering Cynthia Aaron and attempting to kill Corey Britt.
Authorities say Lewis was drinking at Andrew’s Bar and Grill at 6407 Suitland Road when he started a fist fight with other bar patrons at 2 a.m. on April 10. A surveillance camera captured Lewis grabbing a young woman, then punching her friends as they tried to protect her from him.
When the fight ended, Lewis went home and grabbed a handgun. He then returned to the bar and immediately approached Britt, authorities said. Britt had not been involved with the fight, and a spokesman for Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks described him as an “innocent bystander.”
As Lewis got closer to Britt, authorities said, he pulled the gun from his waistband and shouted, “I’m gonna kill all you all.” He then opened fired, first shooting Britt five times in the back and then taking aim at the crowd. Britt’s lung collapsed, but he recovered from the wounds.
Aaron wasn’t so lucky. As Lewis sprayed the crowd with bullets, she was struck one time in the back of the head, authorities said. She was killed instantly.
Lewis’ trial lasted four days. It took the jury just three hours to return a guilty verdict. His sentencing has been set for April 6.
“This verdict sends a strong message that violent criminals will not be tolerated in Prince George’s County,” Alsobrooks said. “We hope justice will be meted out for a just punishment for the brutal murder of an innocent woman gunned down randomly in the prime of her life.”
