DBPD: Six Shootings Connected, Police Hunting For Suspect

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Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig presenting a picture of DBPD's person of interest, Kevin Stokes
(News Daytona Beach)

Daytona Beach, FL - A series of shootings that have happened within two days of each other are connected according to the Chief of Police for Daytona Beach.

Chief Craig Capri spoke to the media earlier today (July 10th) to update citizens on a string of shootings that recently plagued Daytona Beach.

And according to Capri, the shootings involve two different groups - not gangs - and that they're over "rap music and drugs," according to his statement at the press conference.

The first shooting occurred just two days ago (July 8th) at Berkshire Road and 3rd Street in Daytona Beach. In this incident, police say that suspects in a black Nissan Maxima had open fired in the area, injuring one person.

While officers were en route to that incident, police believe they saw the same vehicle that was reported in the area driving on Mason Avenue. When officers tried to follow the vehicle to get more information, the car fled from police.

They followed the vehicle until they lost sight of it near Nova Road and 6th Street.

In the second incident, which took place around 3:50 yesterday afternoon (July 9th), officers were called to the scene of a crash between a silver Toyota and a white SUV at the intersection of Weaver Street and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard.

Investigators believe that the driver of another vehicle, a dark BMW sedan, was chasing the Toyota when it crashed into the white SUV near the New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church.

The people in the Toyota got out and fled the scene on foot, headed south on Weaver. At least one of the suspects in the BMW fired multiple times from inside the vehicle towards those who ran from the Toyota.

One of the men fleeing from the scene, now identified as 19-year-old Daemon Carn, was shot by one of the assailants. He succumbed from his injuries not long after at Halifax Health Medical Center.

Over an hour later, another call went out about a shooting near a Taco Bell on North Nova Road in Daytona Beach.

When officers arrived, they found a woman who had been shot in one of her calves while sitting in her vehicle. And while the call went out at the Taco Bell, investigators determined that the shooting happened a few minutes before the 911 call around the intersection of Madison Avenue and Gibson Street.

Then, just before seven o'clock that same day, multiple officers reported to Moore Street after getting reports of a maroon colored Dodge Challenger that had opened fire on a residence off of Moore.

Not long after officers arrived, law enforcement noticed a similar Dodge Challenger driving recklessly down LPGA Boulevard. Officers activated their lights and sirens but the Challenger took off towards I-95, where it joined the interstate and took the chase up to Old Dixie Highway.

Once the vehicle stopped, officers watched as three black males ran out of the vehicle and into a waiting silver Audi sedan.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office was called in and Air One eventually took part in the chase as the vehicle made its way back south to Daytona Beach.

The vehicle was stopped on Ridgewood Avenue where the three males ran out of the vehicle while a black female remained in the passenger seat. All three suspects were eventually tracked down and taken into custody by Daytona Beach police while the female was taken by VCSO.

23-year-old Diante Thompson, 27-year-old Demackalis Few and 21-year-old Rasheem Smith
(Daytona Beach Police Department)

The suspects taken by Daytona were 23-year-old Diante Thompson, 27-year-old Demackalis Few and 21-year-old Rasheem Smith.

"All of them are criminals that have been involved in street-level stuff here for years," said Chief Capri. "We keep on arresting them and they keep getting out. Hopefully, we can make some strong cases on them now."

According to Capri, a confession from one of the suspects says that they shot at the wrong house in the incident.

Although, even though police have a few suspects in custody, law enforcement is looking for one man in particular with the case.

17-year-old Kevin Stokes
(Daytona Beach Police Department)

That man is 17-year-old Kevin Stokes, who, according to Chief Capri, is the one who killed 19-year-old Carn. And Stokes, who has a history of gun violence, also has a price pinned on him for his capture.

"$5,000 out right now for anyone who can tell us where he's at," said Chief Capri, displaying Stokes' photo to the press. "No questions asked, we get him into custody, $5,000."

Chief Capri also mentioned that they're currently working on securing an arrest warrant against Stokes.

You can also view Chief Capri's full press conference below.

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