JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tampa police are looking at Jacksonville groups as officers try to narrow down who pulled the trigger that killed a local rapper.
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Police said Charles Jones, known by his rap name as Julio Foolio, was gunned down early Sunday morning in a hotel parking lot. His attorney said the Jacksonville rapper was celebrating his 26th birthday in Tampa.
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During a townhall meeting in Tampa on violence in the community Monday night, some voiced concerns about the shooting.
“They’re people coming into our community — they’re not from our community — but it’s happening in our community. The shooting that happened Sunday? That’s too close to home,” one woman said.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said indications are that the groups all came from Jacksonville.
During a press conference on Monday, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters wouldn’t name the groups when asked.
“These groups – I won’t name them, they know who they are – we’re not going to tolerate any retribution, any revenge. We’re going to watch. We’re going to pay attention to what’s going on,” he said.
READ: Man kills 3, heads to Georgia to kill another, dies in shootout with Florida deputies, officials say
During the town hall meeting in Tampa, a concerned resident who previously lived in Jacksonville put a name to the rivals.
“These two gangs, ATK and KTA, which is Kill Them All, have been fighting in Jacksonville for a very long time — including in a nice neighborhood where I grew up,” he said. “Are the other shootings that we discussed gang related and are they related to this gang?”
“At this point that’s the only one we have tied to those Jacksonville groups,” Chief Bercaw said referencing Sunday’s shooting.
So far, no arrests have been announced or suspects named.
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