Cops cap "MySpace Thug"

ST. PETERSBURG — Though he had had no brushes with the law before a police officer fatally shot him this weekend, Javon Dawson had taken on the persona of a street thug on his MySpace page.

On Saturday night, Dawson, 17, was spotted firing a gun into the air outside the Shining Light Masonic Lodge, where there was a graduation party. He got into a confrontation with St. Petersburg police officer Terrence Nemeth, with Nemeth telling him to put down the weapon, and Dawson running off, pointing his gun at Nemeth as he fled before Nemeth fired, police said.

On his MySpace page, Dawson takes on the persona of a violence-prone street thug in his featured video. With music blaring in the background and with Dawson caught mostly in silhouette, he talks threateningly to his imaginary audience.

Repeatedly spouting profanities and a racial epithet used commonly among African-American gangsters, Dawson throws punches as a sign of his street bravado. He then picks up a gun or a facsimile of one and points it at the camera, threatening to use it unless the imaginary person he is talking to doesn't back down.

CHECK OUT JAVON'S MYSPACE PAGE:
index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=307654231

Tags: Dawson, Javon, PETERSBURG, ST.

Comment by Zhay on June 13, 2008 at 5:36am: dam did 50 kill him

Comment by Streetz_Money on June 13, 2008 at 2:07pm: These streetz hungry So If u a hood nigga Time is anytime jus be cautious

Comment by Mac Sleepy on June 14, 2008 at 1:08am: Shyt Crazy.... Sounds a Little suspect...

Comment by eddiedollars on June 14, 2008 at 7:33am: Sounds like this rap shit is rotting the brains of our youth... any nigga making videos on myspace about how gangster they are... ain't no street nigga.... let's stop all this justice bullshit... and start checking these raheem ass niggas... you not built like that... you ain't got no juice...

Comment by Q-Grain on June 14, 2008 at 10:24am: sounds to me like that story is bullshit. aint no hood nigga goin to point that hoe at the police because we know thats what they waiting fo, a reason to pop our ass. i wanna hear from some witnesses other than them crooked ass cops.

Comment by kavi on June 14, 2008 at 4:58pm: I cosign what Q-Grain said. Aint no nigga stupid enough 2 point a gun at no police officer noin they wont a reason 2 shoot us. I think we need 2 start murken dese cops and taken da streets back.

Comment by Franklin on June 15, 2008 at 9:35am: I live on the North side of things, but the day after the incident happened, there were people protesting.

Comment by F2morrow on June 15, 2008 at 12:14pm: bein from st.pete tha law will kill at will, for those that dont know. tyron lewis and many others dun fell victim to police brutality! when the police shot and killed tyron lewis in broard daylight. ariot broke out on the southside of da burg and dem crackaz didnt have a clue what to do! I say we need to click up wheneva dis shit happen and let it be known we gone protect ourselves!

Comment by yesh on June 15, 2008 at 4:09pm: I know the family and homie aint have no damn gun that nite!

Comment by G*Two on June 16, 2008 at 4:01am: R.I.P. but dead men can't talk so until somebody speak on his behalf it's the cops story against nothing.