Jacksonville sheriff reports arrests of shooters in Breon Allen death
Sheriff T.K. Waters says no more arrests are expected after two 17-year-olds now make six co-defendants in the shooting death of a 7-year-old.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
- With six defendants in the shooting death of a 7-year-old casualty of a gang war, two have decided to plead guilty.
- Here is an update for all of the defendants’ cases in the January double shooting that resulted in Breon Allen being killed.
The court cases in the January shooting death of 7-year-old Breon Allen Jr. in what Jacksonville police called a gang hit on his cousin are proceeding at an efficient pace with two of the six defendants already pleading guilty.
Breon and 21-year-old Lafayette Mango Jr. were struck in a barrage of gunfire in an ambush drive-by after leaving a home and walking on Commonwealth Avenue, the Sheriff’s Office said. The older target survived critical injuries, but the boy known as “Dusse” did not.
His photos and reward offers were posted by the Sheriff’s Office and the act denounced by Sheriff T.K. Waters.
In March the Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of Keith Bernard Fields Jr., 18, Dannel Lenoir Larkins, 20, Keith Bernard Johnson, 21, and Zharod Deangelo Sykes, 24, on charges of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted first-degree murder.
A couple of weeks later the final arrests of Donte Michael McGhee and Tavaris Keon Kelly, both 17, were announced stating they were determined to be the shooters of the bunch.
The warrants say it stemmed from an ongoing dispute between gangs ATK and 6 Block. It particularly referenced a rap song “6 Ways to Die” made by Mango and another ATK member disrespecting slain 6 Block affiliates, including Julio Foolio (real name Charles Jones II).
Who has pleaded in the Breon Allen gang killing?
Duval County court records show the following progress in the cases.
On June 24 Sykes pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. It’s unclear what was agreed upon, but he faces up to life in prison and is scheduled for a status hearing on Oct. 1.
Kelly, a juvenile at the time and now charged as an adult, pleaded guilty on July 16 to second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, shooting deadly missiles and possession of a firearm by a juvenile delinquent found to have committed a felony act. He too faces up to life in prison and has a hearing scheduled for Sept. 24.
The other juvenile, McGhee, also is charged as an adult and pleaded not guilty on April 10 to second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and shooting deadly missiles. He is scheduled to be back in court Aug. 28.
Larkins pleaded not guilty on April 3 and remains in jail with his next hearing scheduled for Sept. 3.
Johnson pleaded not guilty on April 3 and remains in jail with his next hearing scheduled for Sept. 4.
Fields pleaded not guilty on April 10 and remains in jail with his next hearing scheduled for Aug. 28.