Shooting suspect charged with murder in King Von’s death
Atlanta Police charged a 22-year-old with murder in the fatal shooting of the Chicago rapper.
A suspect has been arrested and is in custody after the death of King Von, authorities revealed on Saturday (Nov. 7). A 22-year-old named Timothy Leeks has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of the rapper. The Chicago native was shot and killed outside of a nightclub in downtown Atlanta on Friday Morning, and now investigators have closed his case.
The emcee, whose real name is Dayvon Bennett, was one of six people shot outside of Monaco Hookah Lounge after a fight broke out and ended in gunfire. Investigators said they secured warrants charging Leeks with murder in the 26-year-old rapper’s death on Saturday (Nov. 7).
“Mr. Leeks is in police custody at Grady Hospital where he is undergoing treatment for a gunshot wound,” Marla Jean Rooker, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department, told AJC.com. “The homicide of Bennett is closed with this arrest.”
Two of the six people shot during the gunbattle were killed, while a third remains in critical condition, according to police. The names of the victims were not yet released, and it’s still not clear who shot them. Two off-duty and one on-duty police officer were reportedly at the scene and attempted to intervene but were not injured. The Atlanta Police Department released this statement on the shooting, clarifying rumors that said the rapper had been shot by police officers.
“It is our understanding Dayvon Bennett, aka King Von was shot and killed during this morning’s shooting and we are seeing rumors being spread indicating he was shot and killed by APD officers. At this time, our investigators believe Mr. Bennett was shot during the initial shootout between the two groups of males, prior to police responding and attempting to stop the shooting,” the APD said in a statement. “Additionally, Mr. Bennett was not located at the scene, but arrived at a hospital shortly after the shooting, via private vehicle. The investigation into this incident remains open and very active.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the incident along with the APD as an officer-involved shooting after Atlanta police working in the area attempted to intervene in the shootout. Two of the officers were in uniform working off-duty security jobs at the hookah lounge, and a third was on-duty nearby, according to police. Police said Bennett was fatally shot in the club’s parking lot prior to the cops’ involvement.
Surveillance footage began circulating around social media following the incident, which shows a group of men scattering outside the lounge after a brawl, when someone starts shooting. Then a man, who appears to be Von, can be seen lying on the street after being shot and is driven away from the scene in a black car.
Following the news of the fatal shooting, the star’s record label EMPIRE issued a statement about the Chicago native. “We are devastated by the untimely passing of King Von,” the statement read. “He was a loving father, dedicated member of his community and an amazing talent that just started to scratch the surface of his boundless potential. Von overcame incredibly challenging circumstances as a young man, but never lost sight of what it meant to give back and uplift his community – O’Block.”
Stars like YG, Cordae, and Asian Doll have also taken to social media to mourn the loss of the 26-year-old rapper with touching and heartbreaking tributes. The REVOLT team continues to keep King Von’s loved ones in our thoughts.