Man arrested in connection to New Year’s shooting deaths

Ocala Police Department officials on scene of shooting on Jan. 1, 2023. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

The Ocala Police Department arrested a 19-year-old man on Nov. 22 in connection with the deaths of two people who were shot during a block party in southwest Ocala on Jan.1.

Lebron Jones was arrested by the OPD B-Squad night patrol and stands charged with two counts of second-degree murder with a firearm and four counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, according to an OPD press release.

D’amonta Harris,30, and Abdul Hakeem Van Croskey,24, died, and four other people were injured in a shooting that occurred at a New Year’s block party involving about 100 people in the 1600 block of Southwest 5^th Street, the press release stated.

Officers responded to the location around 4:30 a.m., according to the release.

“The investigation revealed that a small group of people ambushed the party with firearms, indiscriminately shooting into the crowd. OPD Detective Boyer identified (Jones) as one of the shooters,” the press release stated.

According to the OPD probable cause warrant, a shell casing found at the block party crime scene was matched to a weapon previously tied to Jones in a February shooting investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

OPD investigation also revealed Jones was in the area hours before the shootings at the block party, the warrant stated.

The charging officer wrote in part in the warrant that he thought Jones was “part of the group which began the ambush shooting into the crowd from the north side of Southwest 5th Street resulting in the deaths and injuries…”

The warrant also indicated Jones was seen in photos in Ocala “with his firearm” 6.5 hours before and 31.5 hours after the shooting.

The warrant indicates gunfire was reported at the block party from the north and south sides of the streets.

Two people have been identified as having shot from the south side of Southwest 5th Street and “numerous names have been reported” in connection with being shooters from the north side of the roadway, the warrant stated.

Jones denied being at the block party.

As the OPD investigation continues, anyone with information about the case can submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling (352) 368-7867 or at OcalaCrimeStoppers.com. The OPD case number is #202300000072