JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 A Jacksonville man will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to the shooting death of 2-year-old A\u2019hmari Robinson.<\/p>\n
Steven Dodson Jr., 21, pleaded guilty to First-Degree Murder, Attempted First-Degree Murder, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Aggravated Child Abuse. A judge sentenced Dodson to life in Florida State Prison without the possibility of parole. State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced the guilty plea and sentencing.<\/p>\n
Steven Dodson Jr. 21, accused of fatally shooting a 2-year-old, pleads not guilty. (Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)The shooting<\/p>\n
On March 22, 2026, Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office officers responded to Valencia Way Apartments after receiving calls about a person who had been shot. When they arrived, they found A\u2019hmari with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital.<\/p>\n
Investigators say Dodson fired a gun in the direction of a woman \u2014 with whom he had a romantic relationship \u2014 while she was holding the child in her arms. The woman told police Dodson was the shooter.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said they heard a gunshot and then saw Dodson flee the scene. Video surveillance from the complex captured him throwing a gun into a dumpster before running away. A child witness also provided information to investigators.<\/p>\n
A 2-year-old boy died overnight after he was shot during a domestic dispute late Sunday at an apartment complex in the Hillcrest neighborhood of Jacksonville\u2019s Westside. Steven Dodson Jr., 21, has been charged in the shooting. (Ben Schubert\/News4JAX photojournalist)The manhunt<\/p>\n
The shooting triggered a manhunt that ended with Dodson\u2019s arrest around midnight the following day. He was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals and Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office SWAT team at an apartment in the Grand Park neighborhood. According to the arrest report, the situation began as an argument over the phone.<\/p>\n
From \u2018not guilty\u2019 to life in prison<\/p>\n
Dodson initially pleaded not guilty at a hearing on April 15, where Judge Sacks set a pretrial date and ordered Dodson to have no contact with witnesses, victims, minors or third-party contacts. A speedy trial had been scheduled to begin Oct. 5.<\/p>\n
But Dodson pleaded guilty in open court shortly after a Duval County grand jury indicted him on the charges. Court records showed Dodson had prior arrests over the past three years on charges including strong-arm robbery, domestic battery and other offenses.<\/p>\n
A\u2019mahri Robinson (GoFundMe)\u2018That baby didn\u2019t deserve none of that\u2019<\/p>\n
A\u2019hmari\u2019s death sent shockwaves through his family, who described him as the \u201chappiest baby.\u201d As the case moved through the courts, emotions from A\u2019hmari\u2019s family spilled into the hallways outside the courtroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cPain. Anger and pain. Pain hurt,\u201d one family member said. \u201cAnd then we already getting fake pages just texting us and threatening. People want to fight my sister. Y\u2019all don\u2019t even know what she\u2019s going through. Y\u2019all don\u2019t know what she went through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another family member added: \u201cWe is hurting, \u2018cause that baby didn\u2019t deserve none of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Family members identified the toddler who was killed as A\u2019mahri Robinson, describing him as a happy baby who brought joy to those around him. (Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
As the family grieved, the community rallied around them. The Silent Women Speaking Foundation stepped in to offer support.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is to bring Mom to an angel Mom support group. We will be doing grief coaching for her. And right now, we\u2019re just taking care of the basic needs that she needs right now, showing love and support,\u201d said Haraka Carswell of the Silent Women Speaking Foundation.<\/p>\n