BRADENTON, FL — Three individuals, including 18-year-old Jeremiah Lilly and two unnamed juveniles, have been charged with felony murder following the shooting death of 15-year-old Kayvon Dunbar during a botched robbery attempt last month, Bradenton Police announced Thursday.
Officers responded to a call around 11:30 p.m. on August 25 in the 400 block of 11th Avenue East, where they found Dunbar outside a residence with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died in the early hours of the next morning.
Detectives said Dunbar, Lilly, and the two teens had conspired to rob a man identified as their drug dealer. The group allegedly invited the man to the home, then approached his vehicle while masked, with two of them visibly armed.
According to police, the drug dealer recognized the threat and opened fire in self-defense. One suspect returned fire during the exchange, which ultimately led to Dunbar being fatally shot.
While the shooter has not been charged, the surviving suspects now face felony murder with a firearm charges, as Dunbar’s death occurred during the commission of an attempted armed robbery.
Due to their ages, the juvenile suspects have not been publicly identified. The State Attorney’s Office will determine whether the teens will be charged as adults.
The case remains under investigation by the Bradenton Police Department and the Manatee Homicide Investigative Unit.
