JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to the shooting death of 2-year-old A’hmari Robinson.
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.
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The shooting
On March 22, 2026, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers responded to Valencia Way Apartments after receiving calls about a person who had been shot. When they arrived, they found A’hmari with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital.
Investigators say Dodson fired a gun in the direction of a woman — with whom he had a romantic relationship — while she was holding the child in her arms. The woman told police Dodson was the shooter.
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.
The manhunt
The shooting triggered a manhunt that ended with Dodson’s arrest around midnight the following day. He was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals and Jacksonville Sheriff’s 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.
From ‘not guilty’ to life in prison
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.
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.
‘That baby didn’t deserve none of that’
A’hmari’s death sent shockwaves through his family, who described him as the “happiest baby.” As the case moved through the courts, emotions from A’hmari’s family spilled into the hallways outside the courtroom.
“Pain. Anger and pain. Pain hurt,” one family member said. “And then we already getting fake pages just texting us and threatening. People want to fight my sister. Y’all don’t even know what she’s going through. Y’all don’t know what she went through.”
Another family member added: “We is hurting, ‘cause that baby didn’t deserve none of that.”
As the family grieved, the community rallied around them. The Silent Women Speaking Foundation stepped in to offer support.
“Our goal is to bring Mom to an angel Mom support group. We will be doing grief coaching for her. And right now, we’re just taking care of the basic needs that she needs right now, showing love and support,” said Haraka Carswell of the Silent Women Speaking Foundation.
The family also started a GoFundMe to help cover costs following A’hmari’s death.
The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney LaTesha Campbell.