Prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges against prominent South Los Angeles anti-gang

Prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges against prominent South Los Angeles anti-gang

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Skipp Townsend Spared Charges in Murder Plot Probe as Son Faces Homicide Case

Prosecutors decided not to file criminal charges against prominent South Los Angeles anti-gang worker Clifford “Skipp” Townsend, just days after law enforcement arrested him on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, according to defense attorney Tiffiny Blacknell and three law enforcement sources who spoke with the Los Angeles Times.

The 62-year-old executive director of the violence prevention group 2nd Call was taken into custody Wednesday by detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division and federal agents. While prosecutors spared the elder Townsend from prosecution by Friday afternoon, his 19-year-old son, Kody Townsend, now faces a murder charge, authorities said.

The district attorney’s office alleged that the younger Townsend used an assault rifle to gun down 51-year-old Reginald Foreman in August. According to prosecutors, both men were members of rival factions of the Crips street gang, and the killing was described as gang-motivated. Jeremiah Abdelhameed, 25, was also charged as an accessory after the fact in Foreman’s death, latimes.com reported.

Murder charges filed against son of Skipp Townsend

Inside the Raid on 2nd Call Offices

LAPD detectives and federal agents descended on the offices of 2nd Call at La Brea Avenue and Obama Boulevard on Wednesday, seizing several computers. Cellphone video circulating on social media captured the elder Townsend being led into a black-and-white LAPD squad car.

Four others were arrested alongside Skipp Townsend on Wednesday: Lenita Sinna Dee Lewis, 28; Shamond “Lil AD” Bennett, 49; Nichole Aaliyah Smith, 23; and Abdelhameed. Prosecutors ultimately filed no charges against Lewis, Bennett, or Smith.

Prosecutors decline case against LA gang interventionist, charges son for murder

Foreman, who was known as “Big Ant” or simply “BA,” was fatally shot while working alongside Bennett and a 2nd Call team to clean up a stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard in Hyde Park. Witnesses reported that a youth wearing a medical face mask approached Foreman and Bennett at a vacant lot near Crenshaw Boulevard and 60th Street, opened fire, and chased Foreman down before standing over him and firing into his chest at point-blank range.

Prosecutors Decline Charges While Police Keep Investigation Open

“Obviously, we are pleased that charges were not filed in this case, but we remain confounded by the LAPD’s decision to arrest him. Skipp Townsend has been a leader in violence prevention for more than 20 years and is known for his work in Los Angeles and across the nation.”

Prosecutors did not provide an explanation for why they declined to file charges against the elder Townsend. An LAPD spokesperson, Lt. Elpidio Orozco, stated that the case remains an active and ongoing investigation.

Prosecutors Decline Charges Against LA Anti-Gang Leader Skipp Townsend, but Son Faces Murder Charge
Photo: hastingstribune.com

Founded in 2006, 2nd Call has operated for two decades to mediate gang disputes and provide alternatives to violence, drawing significant city contracts. Skipp Townsend, a former member of the Rollin’ 20s Bloods with a history of prison stints, built a reputation as a peacemaker capable of crossing rival Crip and Blood territories while retaining the trust of senior LAPD officials and civilian commissioners.

Community Concerns and Broader Law Enforcement Patterns

Sean Garcia-Leys, executive director of the Peace & Justice Law Center, warned that the incident might create a chilling effect for formerly incarcerated individuals looking to make amends through community work.

Skipp townsend HAS BEEN RELEASED! his son has been CHARGED with BABY ANT 11NHC MURDER! FULL DETAILS

Observers of Los Angeles street culture noted that the arrest mirrors a broader pattern of police scrutiny facing interventionists with criminal records. Earlier this year, the LAPD arrested Miguel Angel Alvarez near MacArthur Park, accusing the former 18th Street gang member of being a felon in possession of body armor. That case was ultimately dismissed in September based on a legal technicality after defense attorneys argued the metal plate in question was intended for an art project.

For Skipp Townsend, the legal turmoil unfolds against a backdrop of personal heartbreak. In a previous interview with hip-hop chronicler DJ Vlad, the father of 12 spoke candidly about the melancholy he felt upon learning that his two youngest sons had gravitated toward Crips gangs despite growing up surrounded by 2nd Call’s violence prevention efforts.

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