LAKELAND -- The latest arrest in an ongoing gang crackdown involves a 19-year-old self-styled rapper accused of first-degree murder in the death of a man over a gang rivalry.
Polk Sheriff Grady Judd says 19-year-old La'Darion Chandler shot 33-year-old John "Bang Bang" McGee last December. The two men were members of rival street gangs. McGee failed to follow through on his medical regimen and died 24 days after being shot. Judd says McGee didn't reveal Chandler's identity, likely because he was planning revenge, Judd said. Detectives used other witnesses
Chandler was charged with aggravated assault in a separate incident involving a gun and arrested February 22nd. Judd says he's still on probation from a juvenile offense and is not allowed to have a gun. Deputies served his warrant for McGee's murder in jail.
Judd says Chandler produced a rap video in which he bragged about shooting McGee in the back. Judd called Chandler a coward and an untalented and "stupid" rapper. He says the recent spate of gang violence, including the mass shooting in Lakeland and unrelated incidents in Lake Wales and Poinciana, don't represent the county as a whole as violent crime is going down. But Judd says a small group of very young gangsters is shooting at each other, encouraged in part by videos such as Chandler's.
Detectives found ammunition in a search warrant but no gun. Judd says Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a reward to the person who tells where the gun is.
Photo: Polk County Sheriff/Canva