Three Tampa Deejays Shot Dead

 

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Three Tampa Deejays Shot Dead

While in ORLANDO, I heard the news,"THREE DEEJAYS SHOT AND KILLED!"--- My life in DISCO has been the stuff of LEGENDS, and unfortunately not solely from my deejay abilities. I was known to "party-hardy", to "throw down" more than just records. I was a tough, crazy son of DISCO. I was involved in way more than my share of danger. I am still around, still here. Yet, nothing like what happened early Saturday (May 24th, 2008) when two deejays and an associate were shot and killed in the middle of a busy night, with hundreds of their fans there, dancing and watching this happen.

These Tampa deejays were living a dream, spinning their music on REGGAE Night at the "THUNDERBIRD INN" in Auburndale, a city on the out-skirts of ORLANDO, 50 miles east of TAMPA. They were gunned down without warning. POLK COUNTY deputies were on their way to the club on another complaint, when they got the word, "Shots Fired!" at 2:40 AM Saturday.

Killed were TAMPA deejays ANTONE NEELY, 29, and Michael S. Rattigan, 35. A friend from Deltona, Kevin Webster, 29 was also shot and killed.

Rattigan, whose stage name was "Chris Rock" was part of the Tampa-based DJ group"POISON DART". Neely performed under the name "Tony Montana". The Police found little cooperation from the hundreds of patrons, and only a few clues. "Someone knows the name of who did this, and we need that name" said Sheriff Grady Judd.

Neely left four children, ages 9, 6, 4, and 1. What can a relative tell these children? What are they supposed to say? "They can't ever see their father again" said Neely's wife TAESHA YOUNG.

A BOLO was issued late Sunday afternoon for two men who had trouble with the deejays on May 10th. Shots were fired then as well, without finding a target. These men were seen running from the bar getting into a White four-door BMW.

Neely worked at "Kirky C's Muzik Station", a Nebraska Avenue music store. Rattigan was one of seven deejays that formed "POISON DART". They specialized in REGGAE and Caribbean music, and had promoted the night with success. They attracted over 300 people Friday.

Don Rastic, a Tampa Promoter said he saw the deejay's shortly before. He said that Rattigan had immigrated from Jamaica to pursue his boyhood dream of being a deejay. "Then to hear this, like, what, 10 hours later, it's crazy." Rastic then added,"They're not gangsters, they're not Drug Dealers. They're just DEEJAYS!"

Trouble at the THUNDERBIRD INN is quite a regular visitor. Three times prior in May, the police responded to "SHOTS FIRED".-- Still friends and family said this was completely unexpected and devastating to all. "They were just playing music, and the next thing you know, they were shot and are now dead", said Sharde Edwards, 21 of Tampa. A friend of the deejays.

This tragedy is something I never experienced, but I know that Drugs, Violence and Discos are intertwined sometimes. Our hearts go out to all the family, and may GOD BLESS our brothers.

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