Arrest made in New Year’s Day double murder shooting, Ocala police say

Lebron Jones, 19, faces murder charges

Lebron Jones, 19 (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

OCALA, Fla. – Months after a shooting at a party early New Year’s Day left two people dead and four others injured in Ocala, police said Wednesday that an arrest has finally been made.

Lebron Jones, 19, has been identified as one of the individuals among a small group of people with guns who ambushed the party near the 1600 block of SW 5th Street, resulting in the deaths of D’amonta Harris, 30, and Abdul Hakeem Van Croskey, 24, according to a news release.

Recommended Videos



Jones was arrested early Wednesday, police said. He will face two counts of second-degree murder with a firearm and four counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, the release states.

“This was a large gathering, over 100 individuals, many of whom were fleeing from the area, and it’s extremely difficult to not only control that movement, but also contain that crime scene,” Ocala police Chief Michael Balken said at a news conference in January.

[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]

Ocala police are still investigating.

Anyone with information that could help detectives in the investigation is urged to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by dialing **TIPS (**8477) or by utilizing OcalaCrimeStoppers.com.


Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:


About the Author

Brandon, a UCF grad, joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. Before joining News 6, Brandon worked at WDBO.

Recommended Videos