Funeral violence on the rise: Pallbearers and funeral directors targeted.
Ronald Banks, a 30-year-old pallbearer, was killed at a 10-year-old girl's funeral service due to a long-standing business dispute between two funeral homes. The funeral home owner charged with murder was served a peace order at the cemetery before confrontations arose and gunfire erupted. Banks' family describes him as a loving father who was doing the right thing serving as a pallbearer. The shooting is believed to stem from competition over city dollars, including funds from the Crime Victims Compensation Program. No one from either funeral home has responded to requests for comment.