The footage is grainy, shaky, and honestly hard to watch. In the early morning hours of November 6, 2020, outside the Monaco Hookah Lounge in Atlanta, a chaotic scuffle turned into a tragedy that reshaped modern drill music forever. Dayvon Bennett, known to the world as King Von, was shot and killed. Since that night, the internet has been a whirlwind of rumors, police reports, and street politics. People keep asking who killed King Von because the answer involves more than just a name—it involves a complex web of beefs, legal technicalities, and a split-second decision that left a rising star dead.
It wasn't a mystery for long. The shooter was identified almost immediately.
The Night Everything Changed for O’Block
King Von was on top of the world. He had just dropped Welcome to O'Block. His storytelling was unmatched, and he was arguably the face of Chicago’s new generation. But that night in Atlanta, things went south. Von’s crew encountered Quando Rondo’s crew. In the surveillance video, you can see Von approaching Rondo. A fight breaks out. Punches are thrown.
Then, shots fired.
The person who pulled the trigger was Timothy Leeks, better known as Lul Timm. He was a close associate of Savannah rapper Quando Rondo. When the fight erupted, Timm was sitting in a vehicle nearby. Seeing his friend in an altercation with Von and his entourage, he stepped out and opened fire. Von was hit multiple times at close range. Two other people died that night too. It was a bloodbath in a parking lot that should have just been another stop on a press tour.
💡 You might also like: Mary J Blige Costume: How the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Changed Fashion Forever
Why Lul Timm Isn't in Prison
This is the part that confuses everyone. If the world saw the video of Lul Timm shooting King Von, why isn't he behind bars? For a long time, he was facing felony murder charges. However, the legal system in Georgia has a very specific set of rules regarding "defense of others."
In August 2023, the charges against Timothy Leeks were dropped. His lawyers argued that under Georgia law, he was legally justified in using deadly force because he believed Quando Rondo’s life was in immediate danger. Since Von was the aggressor in the physical fight—captured clearly on camera—the defense had a massive upper hand. The prosecution basically realized they couldn't overcome the "Stand Your Ground" and defense-of-others arguments.
It’s a bitter pill for Von’s fans to swallow. To many, it felt like a loophole. To the law, it was a textbook case of intervention.
The Ripple Effect in Rap
The death of King Von didn't just end a career; it ignited a massive, cross-country tension between Chicago and Savannah. The internet fueled the fire. Fans took sides. It became more than music; it became a digital war of words that had real-life consequences.
📖 Related: Mariah Kennedy Cuomo Wedding: What Really Happened at the Kennedy Compound
You see this a lot in the industry lately. Rappers travel with large crews for "protection," but sometimes the presence of so many people actually escalates a small situation into a fatal one. If Von had been alone, or if Rondo had been alone, maybe they just trade words. But with the crews there, the pressure to "react" becomes overwhelming.
The Role of the Atlanta Police
There’s another layer here. During the shootout, off-duty Atlanta police officers were working at the club. They also fired their weapons. For a few days, there was a lot of chatter online wondering if a police bullet was actually what killed King Von.
The medical examiner’s report and the subsequent investigation cleared that up. While the police did engage, the fatal shots were attributed to the initial gunfire from the Leeks/Rondo side. The chaos was so high that for about 48 hours, nobody really knew who hit who. It was a fog of war in a nightclub parking lot.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Beef
A lot of people think this was some long-standing, deep-rooted gang war between Chicago and Georgia. Honestly? It wasn't. It was a "heat of the moment" encounter that spiraled.
👉 See also: La verdad sobre cuantos hijos tuvo Juan Gabriel: Entre la herencia y el misterio
- The Aggressor Myth: People think Von was "targeted." In reality, the footage shows Von initiating the physical contact.
- The Reward Rumors: There were wild rumors that Lil Durk or O’Block put a "bounty" on Lul Timm. While the internet loves a good conspiracy, there’s no evidence of an organized "hit" following the legal dismissal of the case.
- The Police Involvement: As mentioned, the "police killed him" theory was debunked by ballistics and forensics.
Moving Forward After the Tragedy
The loss of King Von remains one of the most significant "what ifs" in hip-hop. He had the charisma of a movie star and the grit of a street reporter. Since his passing, his estate has released posthumous albums like What It Means To Be King and Grandson, which topped charts and proved his fan base wasn't going anywhere.
But the lesson here is stark. It’s about the volatility of ego and the permanence of a single decision. Lul Timm is free, Quando Rondo has faced immense blackballing in the industry, and King Von is gone.
If you're following this story, the best way to understand the legal nuances is to look into Georgia’s Title 16-3-21, which covers the use of force in defense of self or others. It explains exactly how a caught-on-camera shooting can result in dropped charges.
Next Steps for Deep Context:
To truly understand the atmosphere leading up to that night, listen to Von's final interviews where he discusses his transition from the streets to the studio. Contrast those with the official statements released by the Atlanta Police Department regarding the "Officer Involved Shooting" aspect of the night. Lastly, research the "Stand Your Ground" precedents in Georgia to see how they differ from other states like Illinois or New York. Understanding the law is the only way to understand why the case ended the way it did.