The war in Jacksonville has been all over the news for years, but most people have never heard of one of the city’s most notorious figures, ATK Scotty. He’s been making serious waves, allegedly involved in some of the city’s most brutal hits, and now he’s locked up on two murder charges. Here’s the story of how it all spiraled out of control.
ATK Scotty’s involvement began around 2017 with the tragic death of rapper Zion Brown. Zion was at home with his sister Téria and their 9-year-old cousin when someone threw a brick through their window. Moments later, a shooter in a hoodie opened fire. Téria was hit in the leg, her cousin was wounded too, but Zion was fatally shot multiple times. ATK affiliate T Shorty was arrested for the shooting, and rumors say his associate, Young and Ace, was with him that night. Evidence suggests it wasn’t a random act; there were text messages indicating a planned hit.
After Zion’s death, Ace and Trey were allegedly involved in robbing a drug dealer and exchanging gunfire with him. Ace was acquitted, but then the violence escalated further. In 2018, Ace, his brother, and friends were ambushed after a night out. A car rolled up at a red light and opened fire, killing Ace’s brother and two friends. Ace survived despite being hit eight times. Though no one was arrested for the attack, speculation pointed to another rapper, Fulio, and his crew as the assailants, possibly in revenge for Zion’s murder.
This sparked a deadly tit-for-tat. In 2019, ATK Scotty and his comrade Keso allegedly killed Fulio’s friends, Lil Bby and Pop Out. According to rumors, they were driven to the Six Block territory, where they chased their targets. Keso fatally wounded Lil Bby, making sure he didn’t survive the broad daylight attack. Keso even bragged about it in his music, further fueling the feud.
ATK and Six Block both suffered devastating losses. Keso’s brother, BOSC Guna, was gunned down just months after being released from prison. He was targeted outside a club, despite reportedly trying to leave the violent life behind. Fulio mocked BOSC Guna’s death in his tracks, showing no signs of de-escalating the conflict.
In 2020, ATK retaliated again when Lil Buck dissed BOSC Guna. Scotty, Keso, and another accomplice allegedly killed Lil Buck in a daytime attack. A high-speed chase ensued, ending in a crash. Scotty and Dominique Barnes reportedly broke into a nearby house, where Dominique assaulted a woman. Caught and pressured by the police, Dominique eventually implicated Keso as the shooter and even Keso’s father ended up testifying against his son.
Scotty and Keso’s spree didn’t end there. They were ambushed in Georgia by their rivals, leading to a deadly hotel shootout where their affiliate R was killed. Keso avenged R’s death by allegedly killing the responsible party, Tiki, at a gas station. The violence was relentless and deeply personal, with Keso and other rappers immortalizing these events in their lyrics.
Scotty’s actions extended beyond Jacksonville’s borders. Zion’s sister Téria, who survived the initial attack, was set to testify against T Shorty but was shot 14 times before the trial. She survived, and though another ATK member, YBZ, was accused, her mother alleged that Scotty was behind it. Despite the mounting accusations, Scotty remained loyal, refusing to turn on his co-defendant even when caught for murdering Lil Buck. Now, with a trial looming, the full extent of Scotty’s involvement in the Jacksonville war may soon be revealed.
Scotty’s legacy is a bloody one, and as the legal battles unfold, the true depth of ATK’s violent influence might come to light. With Keso facing trial by the end of 2024 and the likelihood of severe penalties, the streets of Jacksonville might see some respite from this cycle of retributive violence.
The Jacksonville war, marked by tit-for-tat killings and intense rivalries, has left a trail of grief and tragedy. ATK Scotty, allegedly a central figure in this ongoing conflict, faces a future behind bars. As authorities continue to peel back the layers of this violent saga, more chilling details are likely to emerge. The era of Scotty and Keso may be coming to an end, but its impact will linger, shaping the future of gang conflicts in the city.
