In the summer of 2017, a turf war between rival drug trafficking organizations in Baltimore would leave 31-year-old Christopher Hockaday, a Black/African American male, dead. On July 14, 2017, Hockaday, a member of the Abington Avenue drug trafficking organization, was involved in a dispute with a rival group over the rights to sell drugs at a gas station located at the intersection of Baltimore Street and Hilton Avenue.
The confrontation escalated, and a member of the rival drug organization shot and killed Hockaday.
The man identified as the shooter was Deontae Emmons, an enforcer for the Baccwest ETG Crips. Following Hockaday's death, his own organization sought revenge. Three days later, on July 17, 2017, Cortez Weaver, an associate of Hockaday's in the Abington Avenue DTO, went to the same gas station to retaliate. There, he encountered Maurice Finney, a member of the rival group, and murdered him by shooting him in the head at close range. The retaliation, which also included the attempted murder of two other individuals, was captured on the gas station's surveillance cameras.
In the aftermath, law enforcement pursued those involved. Cortez Weaver was arrested and, in February 2020, pleaded guilty to possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which resulted in the death of Maurice Finney. His guilty plea detailed the ongoing dispute that led to both Hockaday's and Finney's deaths.
Before he could be brought to justice for the murder of Christopher Hockaday, Deontae Emmons was himself killed. On May 23, 2020, Emmons was found murdered outside a food market. His death came after he had reportedly been ostracized by his own gang for talking to his girlfriend about the group's criminal activities, leaving him without their protection. It is unclear if his death was connected to the ongoing feud or other circumstances.
