Sheriff: 'He's a stupid rapper;' Florida teen makes video after killing gang member

LAKELAND, Fla. (CBS12) — Investigators say a Florida teen and self-proclaimed rapper made a video to brag about the killing of a rival gang member in central Florida.

La'Darion Chandler, 19, is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder, convicted delinquent in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

"He's not much of a rapper," said Sheriff Grady Judd. "But he's a stupid rapper."

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Chandler shot 33-year-old John McGee last December.

Investigators said McGee "was mean mugging" the other gang members when he was shot in the back. While at the hospital, McGee refused to take the medicine he needed to help his body heal. He also refused to cooperate with investigators.

Sheriff Grady Judd said investigators believed McGee wanted to get revenge on his own and take care of the person who shot him. But he never made it out of the hospital. McGee died from his injuries 24 days later.

The sheriff's office said Chandler, the murder suspect, had seven prior felony arrests and five misdemeanor arrests. He was first arrested at age 11 and detained in a Juvenile Detention facility on three occasions.

"He was just a mess," said Sheriff Judd.

In his most recent stay in a juvenile facility, Chandler spent 12 months behind bars.

Thirty-two days after getting out, investigators said Chandler shot McGee.

After the initial shooting, the sheriff's office had a tough time getting information. No one would talk to detectives.

"You go to one of these scenes, you know, there's 200 people in the parking lot, and you talk to them all and they all just got out of the bathroom," said Judd. "I was in the bathroom when that happened. 200 people in 20 bathrooms, it's crowded but that's where they are."

A break came weeks later when detectives arrested Chandler for pulling a gun on someone in the same area of the shooting.

"Fortunately he didn't kill that guy," said Judd.

When detectives served the first-degree murder warrant, the sheriff's office said Chandler's hard-core demeanor changed.

"He started crying like a baby that lost his pacifier," said Judd.

At a news conference on Thursday, the sheriff's office played a portion of the rap video made by Chandler.

The sheriff's office bleeped out the bad words: "N---a tried to run, I hit his back. Thought I shoot like a Mac. Dirt a-- dead n----s knowing where to find me at."

The sheriff is paying $5,000 for the murder gun.