Immigrant DJ shot to death in dispute with rival Brooklyn dollar van driver mourned

An up-and-coming migrant DJ paid for an statement with a rival Brooklyn dollar van operator with his life, leaving his loved ones shattered.

Johanci Chapman, 25, was changeable arsenic helium quarreled with his slayer astir 12:55 p.m. Jan. 12 portion driving his van connected Utica Ave. adjacent Linden Blvd. successful East Flatbush, cops said.

About 200 mourners packed into Caribe Funeral Home successful Flatlands for Chapman’s Jan. 26 funeral, portion 1 household subordinate sending a pre-recorded video sent from the victim’s autochthonal Trinidad and Tobago.

“I’m aggravated I can’t beryllium there. You were the champion brother,” Chapman’s simple school-aged member said successful the heartbreaking video message. “I emotion you and I volition ever emotion you.”

The victim, known to friends and relatives arsenic JoJo, played euphony nether the sanction DJ Checkpoint. He immigrated to the United States successful 2022 aft serving successful Trinidad and Tobago’s Coast Guard, his household said.

“JoJo had an infectious grin that would airy up your heart. He had a laughter that would unrecorded successful your caput rent free,” said Chapman’s different brother, Imari Cotton. “I privation everyone to support that representation of his smile. His smile, his laugh, that is my representation of him.”

Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News

Johanci Chapman, driving a dollar van connected Utica Ave. successful Brooklyn, was fatally changeable astatine Linden Boulevard connected Jan. 12. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News)

After being shot, Chapman kept driving down Utica Ave., crashing into a Kia sedan. Medics took him to Kings County Hospital but helium couldn’t beryllium saved, constabulary said.

A achromatic dollar van was seen driving disconnected aft the shooting and investigators judge Chapman quarreled with that operator earlier being shot, constabulary sources said. The slayer has not been caught.

Davyone Jordan, Chapman’s relative and champion friend, said the victim’s beingness was “short but full,” recalling the operation and edifice jobs Chapman held successful summation to DJing and driving since he’d arrived successful New York.

“This is the immigrant’s experience. When you travel to America you bash immoderate you person to bash to past and you commune you don’t suffer yourself,” said Jordan. “America isn’t an casual place. It tin gobble you up and spit you out. But astatine the precise aforesaid clip it’s a spot wherever dreams tin travel true. Where you’re allowed to beryllium yourself. And Johanci was ever himself.”

“When we find ourselves successful places and spaces we astir apt shouldn’t beryllium successful astir of america are talented a 2nd chance,” Jordan added. “Johanci was robbed of that.”

Candice Charles, the victim’s mother, spoke of her lad arsenic hardworking but consenting to assistance those successful need.

“He would enactment similar nobody’s business,” said Charles. “But astatine the aforesaid time, if helium was driving his van and idiosyncratic told him they didn’t person wealth for the fare, helium would accidental ‘Nothing incorrect with that. I’m taking whatever. Hop in’.”

“My Jo was a loving idiosyncratic and a charmer,” she added. “He didn’t attraction astir the consequences due to the fact that helium was a young man. He ever stood up for what’s close and hoped others would bash the same.”

Johanci Chapman, 25, was changeable and killed connected Jan. 12 portion driving his van connected Utica Ave. adjacent Linden Blvd.

She praised her son’s ambition.

“He believed his destiny was to beryllium a world-renowned DJ and was determined to marque his mode successful New York City. My saccharine boy, our angel, our son, the deepest emotion of my life. Play your euphony and person them dancing successful heaven.”

Chapman’s father, Keston Cotton, said his lad was prone to arguing but was respectful. Cotton thought backmost connected the agelong progressive conversations the 2 sometimes had.

“He ever recovered a mode to lighten it with laughter,” said the father. “Most of our conversations ended successful laughter.”

Before driving the dollar van, Chapman worked arsenic a prep navigator for 2 years astatine Charm Bar & Restaurant, a Caribbean eatery successful Park Slope wherever helium was fondly remembered.

“He was a standup individual, helium was precise arrogant of wherever helium came from, arrogant of Trinidad,” McKinley Lamarre, the proprietor of the restaurant, told the Daily News aft Chapman’s slaying.

In summation to his room skills, Chapman was capable to amusement disconnected his talents arsenic a DJ astatine Charm, playing euphony for Soca Tuesdays.

“He was ever looking for ways to help,” said Lamarre. “He ever came successful with a grin connected his face.  He was dedicated. He was similar family,”

Stephen Henry, who works arsenic a cook astatine Charm Bar & Restaurant, choked backmost tears arsenic helium remembered Chapman’s generosity.

“He showed maine however to bash everything — and I mean everything — truthful I could beryllium connected point,” said Henry, 27. “We were precise close. We took the aforesaid bid astatine night. He was a beloved friend.”

Johanci Chapman, driving a dollar van connected Utica Ave. successful Brooklyn, was fatally changeable astatine the intersection of Linden Boulevard connected Jan. 12. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News)

Henry remembered Chapman saying helium was driving the van to rise wealth to bargain it and that helium would proudly ain the van by March.

Members of the 67^th Precinct’s clergy council,  known arsenic “The GodSquad,” besides spoke astatine the ceremonial service, urging dollar van drivers to travel unneurotic for a gathering to sermon however to quash deadly beefs.

In his closing sermon, Apostle Vernel Samuel referenced the disagreement, asking wherever it would end.

“If everybody should spell and render an oculus for an oculus and a bony for a tooth, past cipher would person nary eyes to see,” helium said. “You extremity up with 2 unsighted men. And 2 unsighted men can’t thrust dollar vans.”

“We indispensable larn however to forgive,” helium added. “We person to larn also, astatine times, not to sprinkle gasoline connected the fire.”

With Rocco Parascandola

Johanci Chapman, driving a dollar van connected Utica Ave. successful Brooklyn, was fatally changeable astatine the intersection of Linden Boulevard connected Jan. 12. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Daily News)