Breon Allen Jr. was walking alongside his cousin in Jacksonville on January 24, when gunfire erupted on, killing the 7-year-old and injuring his older relative.
Now, authorities say the senseless shooting was a gang-related ambush tied to a long-running feud that also led to the death of rapper Julio Foolio.
The child’s death has been linked to a decade-long battle between rival Jacksonville gangs ATK and KTA. The conflict has already claimed multiple lives, including that of Foolio, who was gunned down in Tampa in June 2024.
Four men—Keith Fields, 18, Dannel Larkins, 20, Keith Johnson, 21 and Zharod Sykes, 24—have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting. Fields,
Larkins and Sykes are confirmed members of the 6 Block gang. Johnson is listed as an associate.
The intended target, according to investigators, was 21-year-old Lafayette Mango Jr., a rapper and known ATK affiliate.
Mango survived the shooting. His younger cousin, Breon, did not.
“This shooting was a culmination of escalating violence between two rival street groups. It was a targeted, planned act of bloodshed,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said during a press conference. “If any of these groups continue to do this kind of stuff, we won’t rest. We’ll put every one of them away. That’s a guarantee.”
The feud between ATK and KTA has been marked by retaliatory shootings, diss tracks and public taunts.
After Foolio’s murder, Mango released a track titled “6 Ways To Die,” which reportedly mocked deceased 6 Block members, further inflaming tensions.
Foolio, a prominent KTA figure, was killed on June 23, 2024, in the parking lot of a Tampa Holiday Inn while celebrating his 26th birthday.
He had moved from an Airbnb due to overcrowding, only to be ambushed hours later.
Three others were injured in the attack. Authorities arrested five suspects—all allegedly tied to a rival gang—who had reportedly followed Foolio from location to location.
Sheriff Waters didn’t hold back when addressing the nature of the crime that took Breon’s life.
“It should never happen even for the intended target to be hit, but for them to do that in such a callous, cold, senseless manner tells you what kind of people they are. I don’t care that they’re 17 years old. It doesn’t matter to me. They don’t care about people in this community. Let’s put them where they belong. Let’s not let them see the light of day ever again.”
