In a recent address, Sheriff T.K. Waters, enumerated the apprehension of two teenage individuals tied to the tragic demise of 7-year-old Breon Allen Jr., with the elements involving the reward of $25,000 being left unquestioned. The leads that led to the capture were not only credited to due diligence, but also linked to a tip forwarded to First Coast Crime Stoppers, culminating in a trail that is being hailed as a historic event in the two decade span of this particular nonprofit, originating from the words of the Executive Director, Chase Robinson himself.
Robinson disclosed that Crime Stoppers had received a total of 22 tips related to this case, one of which eventually led Sheriff Waters and his team to the boom which marked the conclusion of the investigations concerning the gang-related incident that happened on January 24. Now awaiting trial are the two minors, Tavaris Kelly and Donte McGhee, both 17 years old, along with other individuals involved in the case, namely Keith Bernard Fields Jr., 18, Dannel Lenoir Larkins, 20, Keith Bernard Johnson, 21, and Zharod Deangelo Sykes, 24.
According to Robinson, the success of this case heavily relied on the supportive involvement of community members. He emphasized that instances such as these should resonate a message to the community that they hold a power capable of bringing justice to affected families. The aim of organizations like Crime Stoppers, as he said, is merely to channel this power.
Robinson acknowledged the presence of a fear factor which often discourages people from stepping forward. However, he assured that Crime Stoppers is dedicated to maintaining the anonymity of its citizens, in order to help mitigate such fears. He explained that this principle forms the crux of Crime Stoppers’ mission.
He further-underlined the principle by stating, ‘It’s not snitching to identify the culprit behind the killing of a 7-year-old. That’s an act of righteousness, it’s about safeguarding your community. At such junctures, we endeavor to deliver justice to these distraught families.’
Regarding the reward protocol, Robinson clarified that the whistleblower should initiate the process by getting in touch with Crime Stoppers. He elaborated, ‘Due to the anonymity, we don’t have a method to reach out to the informer. Hence, we depend on the whistleblowers reaching back to us to verify the status of their tips.’
He advised that once the tipster contacts the organization, they have the choice to either accept the reward money or forego it. This decision isn’t affected even if the accused are later acquitted. Robinson further mentioned that rewards can be offered for any type of crime, and not solely for homicide cases.
Crime Stoppers can provide a maximum reward of $3,000 independently. For high-profile cases such as Breon’s, amounts surpassing this limit are obtained through donations from community members, corporations, organizations, or even family members who approach them.
Witnesses testified that around 5 p.m. on January 24, as Breon and his 21-year-old cousin were exiting a residence near Beaver Street on Commonwealth Avenue, a black Kia vehicle arrived with armed assailants inside who began discharging a volley of bullets, which wounded both victims. The tragic incident resulted in the death of Breon while leaving his cousin severely injured and hospitalized.
Sheriff’s officers were able to locate the Kia at around 11:30 p.m. abandoned at a place where the shooters were presumed to have converged with a BMW car. The shells found in the car corresponded with the discharged casings discovered at the crime scene. According to Sheriff Waters, the intended target was seemingly affiliated with a gang.
Further details from the subpoena provided supplementary data, mentioning a rapper associated with the gang ATK, which allegedly has an entrenched conflict with the gang known as 6 Block. The suspects, named Fields, Larkins, Sykes and Johnson, were found to have connections with this rival gang.
Indications were also given to rapper Foolio, whose government name is Charles Jones II, who was fatally ambushed outside a hotel in Tampa whilst commemorating his 26th birthday in June 2024. References were additionally made to rapper Rico Osama, whose legal name is Julian House, who was killed in 2023.
Coming to the briefing last Friday where Sheriff Waters announced the conclusive arrests, he said, ‘McGhee and Kelly, both 17-years-old, were the actual executeurs of this heinous and savage shooting. It was an accentuated act of brutal violence stemming from rivalry between two street groups. It involved deliberate planning and they distinctly noticed walking innocently with the intended target was Breon.’
Lastly, as per the present court records, these teenagers have not yet been charged as adults, which is why their names currently do not appear in the court files.
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