Latest news with #BreonAllen
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
2 men plead not guilty in gang-related murder of Jacksonville 7-year-old
Dannel Larkins and Keith Johnson, two of the six people Action News Jax has told you were arrested in the gang-related murder of 7-year-old Breon Allen in January, are pleading not guilty to the charges against them. Both men are facing murder and attempted murder charges, alongside Zharod Sykes and Keith Fields. Action News Jax told you Friday when the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 17-year-olds Donte McGhee and Travaris Kelly, the two police say pulled the trigger on Breon Allen. JSO says all six of the people arrested are members of the '6 Block' gang. Police say they shot and killed the 7-year-old as he was walking down the street with his cousin, Lafayette Mango Jr., a known gang member and the target of the shooting. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Action News Jax's Finn Carlin spoke with First Coast CrimeStoppers, who says the tips it received from the community helped lead police to the arrests. 'We received a total of 22 tips in this case, the first coming, I believe, 24 hours after the crime originally happened,' Chase Robinson, executive director of First Coast CrimeStoppers, said. Robinson tells Action News Jax that one of the tips through First Coast CrimeStoppers gave officers and detectives through JSO the information needed to arrest 17-year-olds McGhee and Kelly. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'I do think because this is gang-related and we were able to arrest the two responsible for murdering Breon Allen, that this can serve as sort of a light for other cases and gang-related crimes,' Robinson said. First Coast CrimeStoppers said the person who gave the tip leading police to the accused shooters is getting a $25,000 cash payout, similar to some of the other rewards it offers people who share tips. Larkins and Johnson have trial dates set for September 3. The other four arrested in the murder, including the two 17-year-olds, are all expected to plead to the charges against them next week. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
First Coast Crime Stoppers announce largest reward for anonymous tip leading to arrest
First Coast Crime Stoppers says the $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of two people in the Breon Allen case is the largest in the history of the nonprofit. 'We received a total of 22 tips on Breon Allen's case, the first coming within 24 hours of his initial murder, and when it comes to the tip that led to the arrest of the most recent two suspects, it really helped JSO detectives get over that hump to make the arrest,' says Executive Director Chase Robinson. Last week, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of 17-year-old Donte McGhee and Tavaris Kelly in the death of the 7-year-old. 'They're believed to be the ones that actually took Breon Allen's life. So the fact that a Crime Stopper tip led to the finding and arresting these individuals is huge. It really shows the impact the community can have,' says Robinson. Robinson says FCC is waiting for the tipster to reach out so they could receive the $25,000 reward 'So, they have 90 days to pick up the $25,000 before it needs to be re-approved by our board of directors, but you know, I'm assuming because of the publicity of this case, we will be, you know, hearing from the tipster soon, but like I said, we have to rely on the tipster to reach out to us because of the anonymity aspect. We can't contact them.' You can listen to the full interview with Chase Robinson on Jacksonville's Morning News below. If you would like to submit an anonymous tip on any crime, you can call First Coast Crimestoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS, **TIPS, or in the P3 app.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
First Coast Crime Stoppers tip leads to 2 arrests in Breon Allen case
Community nonprofit First Coast Crime Stoppers says a tip to their organization lead to the arrests of two teenagers in the death of 7-year-old Breon Allen. 'It's huge,' says First Coast Crime Stoppers Executive Director Chase Robinson. 'It really speaks to the power of the community, and I think there is a need for the community to stand up and to really fight back against acts of violence like those that killed young Breon Allen.' Allen was killed back in January in a drive-by shooting outside his home near Commonwealth Avenue and Almeda Street on Jacksonville's Westside. Allen's older cousin, Lafayette Mango Jr., was injured in the shooting. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says the shooting was 'gang-related' and Mango was the intended target. Robinson says the person who submitted the tip will receive a reward of $25,000. 'The enhanced reward, going as high as it did up to $25,000, speaks to how members of the community want to take action, and one way they can do that is by donating those funds to our enhanced reward program to increase notoriety of these cases. To bring Crime Stoppers into the daily lives of those in our community and really just provide them a resource to get that information out and to do it safely, securely, and anonymously.' To help maintain anonymity and pay out the reward, Robinson says Crime Stoppers will send the tipster will send a pick up code to give to a bank. 'We partner with multiple banks in the area, and all our tipsters have to do is go up to the bank, they go to the drive thru teller, they can drive their car, ride their bike, walk, whatever means that they have, they simply write that reward pick up code on a piece of paper, slip it in the drive thru tube, send it back to the bank teller and, because the bank tellers we work with are specifically trained in paying out Crime Stopper tips, they match the reward pick up code with the documentation we already sent them, to then put the already cash reward in an envelope, send it back down the tube and the tipster walks off.' You can donate to First Coast Crime Stoppers on its website.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Yahoo
Turning point in Jacksonville‘s fight against gang violence? 6 arrested in child's murder
Two teenagers were arrested Friday in Jacksonville for the death of 7-year-old Breon Allen, bringing the total number of arrests up to six. The young victim's death has raised questions about the state of gang violence in Jacksonville, with Sheriff T.K. Waters responding to concerns about a potential turning point in the city's fight against gang activity. 'Breon was walking outside with someone involved in this lifestyle,' said Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters. Sheriff TK Waters is referring to Allen's cousin, Lafayette Mango Jr. Breon Allen died in the shooting that was targeting Mango, known to be associated with a rival gang. They were walking together on Commonwealth Avenue on January 24th when gunshots were fired towards them. Since then, six arrests have been made in connection to that shooting, including two on Friday: 17-year-olds Donte McGhee and Tavaris Kelly. We asked Sheriff TK Waters if these gang arrests may signal a turning point for gang violence in the city. 'I think we made a lot of strides in that direction for a while now,' Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters said. Read: 'It's a problem in schools:' Gang-related fight breaks out at Mandarin High School 'I'm not going to lie to you. I'm kind of with the sheriff,' said Nate Thomas. An ex-gang member in the Moncrief and Ken Knight community Nate Thomas, better known as Uncle Nate, said there hasn't been an increase in gang violence on the northside. But he said he doesn't believe there will be a major decrease in gang activity even with the Sheriff's Office's recent efforts. Read: Trial delayed for suspected Jacksonville gang members charged in 2020 murder 'No, I don't think that arresting these guys gonna stop the violence because they don't know what's going on. They don't understand and they don't comprehend the stuff that they are doing,' said Thomas Sheriff T.K. Waters confirmed with Action News Jax that all six suspects arrested in Breon's case were involved with the criminal 6 Block gang. Breon Allen's mother was shocked to find out Friday the number of young people involved in her son's death. 'To find out that it's six and all, our kids haven't even experienced life yet - that's what's crazy,' said Breon Allen's mother, Casheena Love. Sheriff Waters gave one piece of advice to people who are in gangs in the city. 'Get out and quit. There's a way out. If you don't get out, we're gonna come and get you,' Sheriff Waters. Sheriff T.K. Waters said the two arrests made Friday in Breon Allen's case were the final arrests. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Person shot, flown by helicopter to hospital in Fernandina Beach
A person was shot Thursday night in Fernandina Beach. The victim was flown by helicopter to the hospital after the incident that occurred just before 11 p.m. on Clinch Drive. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< A condition on the victim was not available Thursday morning. Nassau County Sheriff's Office released the following statement on social media about the shooting: 'NCSO is investigating a shooting incident on Clinch Drive in Fernandina Beach. The circumstances leading up to this incident are currently under investigation. We can confirm that all involved parties have been identified and there is no ongoing threat to public safety.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read: Woman dies after crashing car into building near Ortega Farms Read: Lake City man arrested in drug bust, accused of possessing over 4 pounds of meth Read: 'This is not a game:' Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announces arrests in murder of 7-year-old Breon Allen [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
