The District Attorney’s Office has filed multiple charges against Kody Townsend, days after celebrated South Los Angeles gang interventionist Clifford “Skipp” Townsend was arrested in connection with a conspiracy to commit murder.
Kody, an alleged 100s Block Crip member, is accused of murdering Reginald Foreman, who worked for Skipp through the nonprofit organization 2nd Call, allegedly using an AR-style rifle. No charges have been filed against Skipp.
Skipp was arrested Wednesday morning by LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division in connection with the alleged murder conspiracy and will reportedly not face charges. A warrant is currently out for Kody’s arrest.
Twenty-five-year-old Jeremiah Abdelhameed was also arrested in connection with the murder and has been charged with one felony count of accessory after the fact.
Abdelhameed is in custody and scheduled to appear in court for his arraignment this afternoon.
Kody has been charged with felony murder, with the special allegation of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm, street terrorism, murder by lying in wait and street gang murder.
Counts two and three include conspiracy to commit any crime and possession of a firearm by a felon.
“Gang violence doesn’t just claim lives; it robs entire communities of their sense of security and safety,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “This kind of violence has no place in our communities and will not be tolerated. Our office’s Gang Homicide Division will hold these individuals accountable for the devastation they’ve caused.”
Foreman had been working with 2nd Call for only two months when he was shot and killed Aug. 6 while responding to a call involving an escalating weed-related dispute in the Hyde Park neighborhood.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Foreman was working alongside two other employees when Kody allegedly approached the group with an AR-style and shot him. Abdelhameed allegedly aided and abetted Kody.
Foreman was a former member of the Rollin’ 111s Crips. At the time of his death, he was a father of three.
In a GoFundMe, Foreman’s loved ones describe him as having a generous spirit and being known for uplifting those around him.
“He cared deeply for the people in his life, especially the young people he had the opportunity to coach and mentor,” the GoFundMe reads.
Skipp was a member of the Bloods gang in South Los Angeles for 27 years before becoming known for his second-chance advocacy and community intervention work.
He founded and currently serves as CEO of 2nd Call, an organization that aims to reduce violence and encourage reentry for at-risk individuals and formerly incarcerated people. The District Attorney’s Office had previously described Skipp as “a key interventionist” in the city’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) program, a community safety initiative established by the city.
The District Attorney’s Office has declined to confirm Skipp and Kody’s relationship, but the Los Angeles Times reported Kody is Skipp’s son.
Kody faces life in prison if convicted of Foreman’s murder, while Abdelhameed faces up to seven years.
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