JACKSONVILLE, FL — State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced that a Duval County jury has found Hakeem Robinson (a.k.a. Ksoo) and Leroy Whitaker (a.k.a. ATK Scotty) guilty of First-Degree Murder in connection with the January 2020 killing of Charles McCormick. Whitaker was also convicted of Burglary with Assault or Battery.
With the jury’s verdict, both men face mandatory life sentences in Florida State Prison. The Honorable Judge Tatiana Salvador will issue formal sentencing at a later date.
The fatal shooting was the result of an ongoing feud between two groups and was carried out in retaliation for a rap song released by McCormick, which reportedly insulted Robinson’s deceased relative.
On the morning of January 15, 2020, Robinson, Whitaker, and a third co-defendant, Dominique Barner, followed McCormick from his home to an employment center on Merrill Road. When McCormick left the facility, Robinson shot him multiple times in broad daylight. The attack was captured on a bystander’s dashcam.
The suspects fled the scene in a vehicle driven by Barner, with Whitaker in the passenger seat. A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer nearby heard the gunfire and pursued the fleeing vehicle into a neighborhood where it crashed. The suspects fled on foot.
Robinson escaped in a separate vehicle from an apartment complex, while Whitaker and Barner entered a nearby residence, held the female homeowner captive, took her phone, stole clothing from her husband to disguise themselves, and contacted Robinson’s father for assistance.
“This was an incredible effort by law enforcement and our team that takes two killers off our streets,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson. “Thank you to the jury for their time and dedication.”
The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by a team of Assistant State Attorneys.
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