DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A teenager has been arrested months after he chased down and opened fire on a man in a shooting prompted by two groups arguing over drugs and rap music, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department.
Police said 19-year-old Daemon Carn was in a vehicle with another person when a light gray BMW began chasing them around 4 p.m. July 9. When the victims' vehicle crashed near Weaver Street and Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard, three masked men got out of the BMW, chased the victims and opened fire, according to authorities.
Carn was killed, according to police, who said the person he was with was not injured.
More than a week after the shooting, Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri said 18-year-old Kevin Stokes was wanted on a first-degree murder charge. Stokes was 17 at the time of the shooting.
The shooting was one of several that happened in the Daytona Beach area within about 48 hours.
Capri said the string of shootings appeared to be connected.
“We’ve determined that all these shootings are related and it’s basically a disturbance between two groups, two rival groups, that are fighting, believe it or not, over drugs and rap music,” Capri said on July 10.
Daytona Beach police said Stokes was taken into custody Monday afternoon at the Sunoco gas station on the northeast corner of International Speedway Boulevard and Bill France Boulevard.
"That's one less criminal off the streets here that we have to worry about," Capri said Tuesday.
Capri said U.S. marshals helped police locate Stokes, who was driving a rented car westbound on ISB when he pulled into the gas station. When they tried to make contact, Stokes attempted to flee, colliding with two vehicles used by investigators, Capri said.
Stokes was taken to the Volusia County Department of Juvenile Justice and is facing first-degree murder and other charges.
Capri said investigators are confident Stokes was the person who shot and killed Carn during a string of violence in July.
"I got a call from the victim's mom (Monday) night and she was very happy and very pleased with our efforts of taking Mr. Stokes into custody," Capri said.