Michael Lee Thompson was a man in changing seasons ? nearing the one-year anniversary of beingreleased from jail, looking for work and considering going back to school.
“That man had hard times like anyone else in today?s world,” Ga?Juanah Holland-Thompson said of her late husband, who had been arrested on handgun possession and assault charges on separate occasions.
But Thompson, 31, was gunned down Saturday afternoon on Pleasant Street near Clay Street in Annapolis, the city?s sixth homicide this year.
The motive was unclear; Annapolis police have released few details and did not return phone calls Sunday.
In a statement, police said they responded to a report of shots being fired and found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thompson wanted to better himself to support her, their 13-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, his widow said.
“At least he had a chance to spend one Christmas, one Thanksgiving, one birthday with his son,” Holland-Thompson said.
“That was my sunshine, my best friend.”
The Clay Street area has been the target of recent drug stings as part of a regional effort to curb violence and drug dealing in the city, which saw a record nine homicides last year. Two weeks ago, police made more than five arrests on drug possession charges.
City Alderman Fred Paone, who represents the area, said safety had been improving.
“There are a lot of good people that are sick and tired of what?s going on,” Paone said. “When the anger outweighs the fear, you?re going to start to see things change much faster.”
