King Von Death: What Led to the Rapper’s Fatal Shooting

Few stories in hip-hop carry the weight of what happened outside a downtown Atlanta hookah lounge in the early hours of November 6, 2020. King Von — born Dayvon Daquan Bennett, just 26 years old — was shot and killed after an altercation between two groups escalated into gunfire.

Full name: Dayvon Daquan Bennett ·
Born: August 9, 1994 ·
Died: November 6, 2020 (aged 26) ·
Cause of death: Gunshot wounds ·
Occupation: Rapper, songwriter ·
Number of children: 2

Ten essential facts, one pattern: every key detail of King Von’s life and death is documented by official sources, but the most critical questions — who fired the fatal shots and why — remain contested.

What led to the death of King Von?

The altercation outside an Atlanta hookah lounge

• The confrontation began around 4:00 a.m. on November 6, 2020, outside the Monaco Hookah Lounge on Trinity Avenue near Forsyth Street in downtown Atlanta, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (official state investigative agency).
• An argument between two groups of men escalated quickly, per the Chicago Sun-Times (local news outlet covering Bennett’s hometown).
• One group was associated with rapper Quando Rondo, according to witness accounts cited by CNN (national news organization).

The exchange of gunfire and fatal injuries

• Atlanta police reported that King Von was shot during the initial exchange of gunfire, before officers intervened to stop the violence, as stated by CNN.
• Von was not found at the scene by first responders; he arrived at a hospital shortly after in a private vehicle, according to the same CNN report.
• The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Bennett and two other men died from their injuries, and three additional people were treated at a hospital.

Aftermath and investigation

• The case was jointly investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Atlanta homicide detectives, per CNN.
• In a significant development, FOX 5 Atlanta (local news affiliate) reported that homicide investigators charged Timothy Leeks, 22, with felony murder in connection with Bennett’s death.
• The GBI characterized the incident as an officer-involved shooting investigation because police discharged their weapons during the exchange, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The implication: The involvement of multiple civilian shooters plus police gunfire means the official narrative will depend on ballistics, witness testimony, and surveillance footage — all of which take time to process.

How old was King Von when he died?

King Von’s birth date and early life

• Dayvon Daquan Bennett was born on August 9, 1994, in Chicago, Illinois, according to Wikipedia (reference source for biographical data).
• He grew up in the O Block neighborhood of Chicago’s South Side, an area known for its high rates of gun violence and its deep influence on drill music culture.
• His father was incarcerated for much of his childhood, and Von was raised primarily by his mother, according to biographical accounts.

His rise in the rap scene

• Von began rapping in 2018 and quickly gained traction with his debut single “Crazy Story,” which showcased his raw, narrative-driven style.
• He signed with Lil Durk’s Only the Family (OTF) label in 2019, a partnership that elevated his profile nationally, as documented by Billboard (music industry publication).
• His debut album “Welcome to O’Block” was released in March 2020 and peaked at number 41 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Age at death and significance

• King Von was 26 years old when he died on November 6, 2020 — exactly 89 days after his 26th birthday, per Wikipedia.
• His age at death places him in a tragic pattern: numerous young Chicago drill rappers have been killed in their mid-to-late twenties, including Fredo Santana (27), FBG Duck (26), and LA Capone (19).

What this means: Von’s age at death underscores the brutal math of the drill rap scene: artists often gain national fame while still deeply embedded in the same neighborhood conflicts that fueled their music.

How many times was King Von shot?

Official autopsy reports

• The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
• Official reports do not specify an exact number of gunshot wounds, citing the ongoing investigation.
• Media accounts have reported between three and five gunshot wounds, though none have cited a definitive autopsy document.

Conflicting accounts from witnesses

• Some witnesses at the scene reported hearing multiple rounds fired in quick succession, consistent with semi-automatic handguns, as noted by CNN.
• A Chicago Sun-Times report said the exchange of gunfire involved multiple individuals, making it difficult for any single witness to track how many times Von was struck.
• The lack of a uniform count has fueled online speculation, but no official source has confirmed a specific number of wounds.

Surviving multiple gunshot wounds

• King Von did not survive his injuries, but the broader context of the shooting raises a grim irony: several other rappers in the drill scene have survived being shot multiple times, including Lil Durk himself, who was shot in 2012.
• Von’s death underscores the randomness of gunshot trauma: two other men died at the same scene, while three others survived their injuries, per the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The catch: Without a publicly released autopsy report specifying the number of wounds, every media account is relying on secondhand law enforcement sources — none of which have been consistent.

What rapper shot King Von?

The identity of the alleged shooter

• No individual has been officially identified as the shooter who fired the fatal rounds, according to CNN.
• FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Timothy Leeks, 22, was charged with felony murder in connection with Bennett’s death — but that charge does not specify that Leeks was the shooter.
• Under Georgia law, felony murder can apply to anyone who participated in the underlying felony that led to the death, even if they did not fire the fatal shots.

Connection to Quando Rondo

• Witness accounts cited by CNN indicate that the altercation involved members of Quando Rondo’s entourage, but no direct evidence has linked Quando Rondo himself to the shooting.
• Timothy Leeks has been reported by FOX 5 Atlanta as having a connection to Quando Rondo’s camp, but the exact nature of that relationship has not been officially detailed.
• Social media speculation about a specific “rapper” being the shooter has not been corroborated by any official investigative document.

Legal proceedings

• Timothy Leeks was charged with felony murder, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
• The case remains under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Atlanta Police Department’s homicide unit, per CNN.
• As of the latest available reports, no trial date has been set for Leeks, and the investigation into potential additional suspects continues.

The pattern: In high-profile gang-affiliated shootings, felony murder charges often target the broader group involved in the altercation rather than the specific trigger-puller — making it difficult for the public to ever get a clear answer on who fired the fatal shots.

Who was King Von?

Early life and background in Chicago

• Dayvon Daquan Bennett was born on August 9, 1994, in Chicago and grew up in the O Block neighborhood, a section of the Parkway Gardens housing project on the city’s South Side, according to Wikipedia.
• He was arrested multiple times as a teenager and spent time in juvenile detention before being incarcerated as an adult on charges related to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
• While incarcerated, he began writing lyrics seriously, and upon his release, he committed to a music career.

Music career with Lil Durk and Only the Family

• King Von’s first single “Crazy Story” (2018) became a viral hit, accumulating millions of streams on Spotify and YouTube, as noted by Billboard.
• He signed with Lil Durk’s Only the Family (OTF) label in 2019, a deal that gave him creative freedom and a platform for national distribution.
• His debut album “Welcome to O’Block” (2020) featured collaborations with Lil Durk, Polo G, and Fivio Foreign, and debuted at number 41 on the Billboard 200.
• Von was known for his storytelling style — painting vivid, first-person narratives about street life in Chicago that drew from his own experiences.

Discography and notable songs

• Studio albums: “Welcome to O’Block” (2020) and the posthumous “What It Means to Be King” (2022), per Spotify (music streaming platform).
• Most-streamed singles: “Crazy Story,” “Took Her to the O,” “What It Means to Be King,” “All These N****s” (featuring Lil Durk).
• His music continues to generate millions of monthly streams, and his catalog has been preserved and promoted by his family and label since his death.

The trade-off: Von’s music drew its power from the authenticity of his lived experience — but that same authenticity kept him embedded in the conflicts and environments that ultimately cost him his life.

The death of King Von leaves a hole in the Chicago drill scene that no amount of posthumous releases can fill. For the family of Dayvon Daquan Bennett, the legal process is still unfolding, and the question of who fired the fatal shots may never be answered with the certainty the public craves. For the fans who streamed his music, his voice remains — but the story of what happened outside that hookah lounge is a reminder that the violence in the lyrics was never just art.