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An alleged murder-for-hire plot may have cost a Grammy Award-winning rapper his “Key to Village,” but Chicago’s mayor wasn’t ready to part ways with a sizable campaign donation.

Little more than two years after gunfire erupted at a Los Angeles gas station, 32-year-old Durk Banks, known as rapper Lil Durk, was arrested near Miami International Airport Thursday bound for a flight out of the country.

According to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Banks was charged with conspiracy to use interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death for the Aug. 2022 incident said to be part of an ongoing feud.

“Mr. Banks is charged with orchestrating a cold-blooded murder that resulted in the death of a rival’s family member,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Not only that, the shooting occurred in the open, at a gas station at a busy intersection, endangering many others in the area. Violent gun crime of this sort is devastating to our community and we will have zero-tolerance for those who perpetrate such callous acts of violence.”

The complaint detailed that law enforcement considered Banks’ Chicago-based rap collective “Only the Family” to have engaged in violence at the rapper’s direction, specifically the plot against victim “T.B.,” presumed to be Tyquain Bowman, according to XXL magazine.

On Aug. 19, 2022, the victim was with his family member “S.R.,” said to be Saviay’a Robinson, when alleged co-conspirators of Banks opened fire, resulting in the death of “S.R.”

Estrada’s office explained that the co-conspirators had traveled from Chicago to California the day of the incident and that Banks himself had traveled separately on a private jet with alleged conspirator Kavon London Grant, known as “Cuz” and “Vonnie.” The criminal complaint suggested Grant had purchased ski masks for the hired guns and that he had used a credit card in Banks’ name to acquire their hotel room.

The motive was considered to be a feud with the victim who was said to have fatally shot OTF rapper Dayvon Bennett, King Von, a close friend of Banks, in Nov. 2020.

“The apprehension of Mr. Banks as he attempted to leave the United States is once again proof that the FBI and our extraordinary partners at the Los Angeles Police Department have a long reach,” read a statement from FBI Los Angeles Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis. “No excuse can justify this violent act and let me be clear: While you’re going about your life, thinking you ‘got away with it,’ the FBI is piecing together the facts that will serve as your undoing.”

Meanwhile, the arrest had political impact as Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson revoked a “Key to Village” that had been awarded to Banks and said in a statement, “While the American system of justice grants everyone the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law, in the Village of Broadview, the court of public opinion of residents has even higher moral and ethical standards of behavior.”

The rapper had been honored for his “Neighborhood Heroes” non-profit foundation supporting local youth. However, the arrest wasn’t enough to inspire Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) to return a $150,000 campaign donation as he told reporters in part, “I don’t know all the circumstances and details around these accusations.”

“I don’t operate in feelings. I operate in truth and justice,” he went on, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Here’s another example of a young black man who grew up in severe trauma that led to life choices.”

Along with Deandre Dontrell Wilson, “DeDe;” Keith Jones, “Flacka;” David Brian Lindsey, “Browneyez;” and Asa Houston, “Boogie,” Grant was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of using, carrying and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death in addition to one count of use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death.

Jones also faced a charge of possession of a machine gun in the indictment separate from Banks.

Kevin Haggerty
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