Arrest made in St. Pete barber shop murder

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - A 20-year-old was arrested in connection to the shooting death of Dontavian Lamar Fleming outside a St. Petersburg barber shop earlier this month.

St. Petersburg Police Major Crimes Unit detectives arrested Hopeton Johnson Saturday, April 23. He was charged with first degree felony murder.

Fleming was shot and killed April 11 at 2910 18th Ave S.

It’s been almost two weeks since Angelita Fleming lost her 31-year-old son.

“I want him to feel what I feel,” she said. “I want him to not be able to walk the streets for the rest of his life. Dontavian was a family man. He loved his kids. He loved his family.”

According to Angelita Fleming, five of his children were in the parking lot watching as their father was killed.

“[He] got shot, and the oldest one tried to help him up and they said they were just running through the parking lot hollering. It's just sad the way they had to see that.”

Police said Johnson admitted to participating in the robbery and homicide. The vehicle used in the crime was recovered and being processed.

Police have not revealed a motive for the shooting other than to say it happened during a robbery.

Dontavion Fleming did have a record involving drug charges.