Four Florida gangbangers have been charged with murdering a 7-year-old boy in a failed drive-by hit on a rival gang member he was walking with.
Keith Fields, 18, Dannel Larkins, 20, Zharod Sykes, 24, and Keith Johnson, 21, were busted for the shocking Jan. 24 death of Breon Allen Jr., Jacksonville County Sheriff TK Waters announced Wednesday.
The youngster was killed in a hail of bullets aimed at a rival gang member, Lafayette Mango, who was hit but survived.
“It was a targeted, planned act,” the sheriff said, calling it “the culmination of escalating violence between two rival street gangs.”
“One of the murderers clearly saw Breon walking innocently with the intended target, Lafayette Mango.”
The four suspects are each charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted first-degree murder.
More are believed to be involved in the deadly shooting — with Waters warning them, “We’re going to come for you. That’s a promise.”
“There are other individuals who planned and participated in this heinous act. We know who they are, and our investigators are building strong evidentiary cases against those perpetrators. They will be arrested, they will face the justice system,” Waters said.
Breon’s parents, Casheena Love and Breon Allen Sr., thanked the community and law enforcement for helping bring about justice for their son.
Love told News4Jax she was “surprised that they came to the conclusion very early in the case because a lot of people don’t get this type of justice. So, I am very thankful and humbled.”
She said more than anything, now she wants to keep the memory of her son alive.
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“Say his name every day, post him every day, talk about it every day. Just keep his name alive and just, you know, be expecting things, to see things in his name, because I’m definitely going to turn this into a positive situation,” Love said.
