Teen charged in death of Arlington man who tried to defend himself during robbery: police
Levondric Ford of Arlington was strapping his infant into his car seat on the night of Jan. 28 when two men approached him from behind and attempted to rob him. When Ford, 25, reached for a weapon to defend himself, he was killed by a 17-year-old gunman, police said.
Malichi Brown also known as “15,” was booked and charged with capital murder Monday afternoon in Ford’s death.
Ford’s grandmother said that she was on the porch watching the Ford leave her residence in the 3900 block of Clotell Drive when two men began shooting at Ford before fleeing, according to the arrest warrant.
By the time officers arrived, Ford was unconscious and “curled up in the front passenger side floorboard of his truck.” unconscious. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead an hour after the shooting.
Video surveillance showed a Mercury Grand Marquis leave the scene minutes after the shooting, according to the warrant. Police said they were familiar with the vehicle and said it had ties to a street gang. Police said their investigation determined that the vehicle was in the area for nearly three hours before the shooting.
Ford’s grandmother told police she had removed the child from the vehicle.
Police said detectives interviewed several witnesses who said they were in the area when the shooting occurred and that Brown had returned after an attempted robbery, the warrant said.
Brown started shooting when he saw Ford reach for what he believed to be a gun, according to the warrant. Police said Brown used an AR-15 in the shooting, dropped it while fleeing the scene and returned for it before he went back to hang out with other gang members.
Brown is suspected in other shootings, according to the warrant. Police wrote that the man with Brown during the shooting was arrested for another murder that occurred on Jan. 23. They did not name that man.
Police said Brown had made several social media posts about “snitches and suggested retaliation,” according to the warrant.
This story was originally published April 26, 2022 at 7:55 AM.
