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Century Teen Charged in Fatal Showalter Park Shooting Transferred to Adult Court, Claims Self-Defense
August 31, 2026
A 16-year-old Century teen charged with first-degree murder in connection with a deadly shooting at Showalter Park has officially been ordered transferred to adult court, where he is now being held without bond.
Keyunta Iveon Ewing of Mayo Street, known locally as “Baby K,” appeared in court on Friday. A judge ordered that he be transferred from juvenile custody to the adult court system and held without bond pending his formal arraignment scheduled for September 11.
During court proceedings, Ewing claimed self-defense, asserting that the fatal victim, Adarius Da’Shun Odom, was about to shoot someone else prior to gunfire breaking out.
Ewing surrendered to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office on Friday night, August 21, at the Department of Juvenile Justice in Pensacola. He was booked on an active warrant for first-degree felony murder without premeditation following the August 13 shooting that left Odom dead and another young man injured.
Arrest warrant affidavits obtained by NorthEscambia.com reveal extensive details about what investigators say occurred leading up to and during the fatal encounter.
The Incident and Scene
At approximately 6:53 p.m. on August 13, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office patrol units were dispatched to Showalter Park at 7890 Kelly Field Road in Century following reports of a shots-fired disturbance.
Arriving deputies located Odom, known as “Daily,” lying on his back behind a white four-door Kia sedan in the parking area between the ball field and playground. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and neck. Escambia County EMS responded to perform life-saving measures, but Odom was pronounced deceased at the scene. Spent shell casings were discovered near his body.
Shortly afterward, a second victim, Da’Quan “Money” Johnson, arrived at Jay Hospital suffering from a through-and-through gunshot wound to his leg. Both Odom and Johnson were members of the 2018 Flomaton High School state championship Hurricanes football team.
While there were no organized activities taking place at Showalter Park at the time, youth football and cheerleading practices were underway nearby at Anthony Pleasant Park, which is connected to Showalter by a wooded trail and footbridge. The sound of multiple gunshots prompted coaches and Century Blackcats Youth Football and Cheerleading organizers to halt practice and clear the park.
Conflicting Statements and Video Evidence
About an hour and a half after the shooting, ECSO investigators interviewed Ewing at the Century Precinct. According to the report, Ewing claimed he had gone to the park to watch a prearranged fistfight between two individuals.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons previously stated a group of seven to eight people, some from Alabama and some from Florida, had gathered at Showalter Park to reportedly fight over a girl.
Ewing initially told investigators that after the fight, Odom reached into his waistband and stated, “You ain’t going to do that to my boy,” prompting Ewing to run toward the woods. Ewing claimed he heard three gunshots as he ran, followed by approximately four more once he entered the tree line. During that initial interview, Ewing was wearing a red and gray hoodie and black shorts.
However, investigators executed a search warrant on the cellphone of another witness who had been at the park. Video recovered from the phone showed two males engaging in a fistfight, with Ewing walking around near the end of the recording wearing a pink hoodie and dark-colored shorts.
Witness Accounts Describe Ambush and Robbery
Witness statements provided to investigators contradicted Ewing’s initial claims and described an attempted robbery rather than a sudden gun battle.
A witness interviewed at Jay Hospital told deputies that he had gone to Showalter Park with four of his cousins to settle an argument through a fistfight, noting that nobody intended to use a firearm. He reported that after the fight ended, a shorter male in a hoodie approached one of his cousins with a handgun and attempted to rob him before opening fire.
On August 15, another witness provided a sworn statement at the ECSO 6th Precinct in Century. The witness stated that after the fistfight concluded, the group was standing around talking about playing video games. At that point, the witness said Ewing pulled a handgun from his shorts, pointed it at Odom, and demanded, “Give it up, give it up,” before shouting, “Get the drake, get the drake” — street slang referring to a Draco AK-47 style pistol, according to the report.
The witness told deputies that Odom raised both hands and said, “Hold on bro, you got it,” before Ewing shot Odom four to five times in the chest. The witness stated Johnson was also struck in the leg during the gunfire before they rushed him to Jay Hospital. The witness subsequently identified Ewing from a photo lineup.
On August 19, investigators conducted an interview with another witness at the West Fraser Timber Company sawmill in McDavid. That witness corroborated the account, stating he heard Odom say, “You got it, you got it,” looked over to see Odom with his hands raised and Ewing pointing a gun, and watched Ewing open fire before everyone fled the scene. That witness also positively identified Ewing in a photo lineup.
Retaliatory Gunfire and Court Status
The same evening as the homicide, deputies responded around 8:00 p.m. to a separate shots-fired call on Mayo Street, just blocks from the park, where multiple bullet holes were found in a home. Sheriff Simmons previously stated investigators believe that home is connected to Ewing and that the gunfire was retaliatory.
Ewing remains held without bond pending his formal arraignment and proceedings in adult circuit court on September 11.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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