State Champ Radio shooting
On early Monday morning (Apr. 29), a security guard was shot in Encino, Calif., at a home linked to music executive and The Weeknd co-manager, Amir “Cash” Esmailian. LAPD sent Billboard a statement regarding the 2:30 AM incident. “The victim (M/B/37 years) was inside a guard shack when he heard several gunshots and discovered he […]
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FBG Duck, a rapper and reported gang member, was shot and killed in a downtown Chicago area now for luxury shopping during daytime back in 2020. Now, six alleged Chicago gang members have been charged with the murder of FBG Duck.
As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, FBG Duck, real name Carlton Weekly, was cornered in Chicago’s Gold Coast district with his girlfriend outside a clothing store in broad daylight. Prosecutors connected the brazen shooting to ongoing gang violence between Duck’s Tookaville gang set, part of the larger Gangster Disciples organization, and O Block, a faction of the Black Disciples.
After deliberations lasting two days, a federal jury handed down a conviction of the six men on Wednesday (Jan. 17) in connection to the shooting. The six men are Marcus “Muwop” Smart, 24; Christopher “C Thang” Thomas, 24; Kenneth “Kenny Mac” Roberson, 30; Charles “C Murda” Liggins, 32; Tacarlos “Los” Offerd, 32; and Ralph “Teezy” Turpin, 34. Each of them was found guilty of the murder in aid of racketeering and conspiring to murder FBG Duck.
In addition, Smart, Thomas, Roberson, Liggins, and Offerd were also convicted of using a firearm during the commission of the murder.
LaSheena Weekly, the mother of Duck, spoke to a gathering of media after the conviction.
“Knowing that they will not do that to another family brings me comfort, knowing they will not terrorize nobody else,” Ms. Weekly said. “They’re done, the whole crew. O Block and everything of it is done.”
She added, “I could never want another mother to feel like this, to see their child shot down in the street like a dog. They had FBG Duck death parties. That’s how much it meant to them.”
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Key Vhani, a rising rapper out of South Florida, was seen on video in a tussle with two men when she pulled out a firearm and opened fire, striking one of the men. Key Vhani was arrested after suffering injuries and was recently released on bond as she awaits trial for second-degree murder.
As seen on NBC Miami, Key Vhani, 27, was seen on surveillance video on October 8 having a discussion with what police say was her manager when things seemingly turned violent as the man raised his hand at her. Another man exited a parked white vehicle and the two knocked the rapper down but she managed to get herself up.
Vhani was then seen reaching into her bag for a firearm and began shooting at the men. As the man scrambled to get away, Vhani walked up to the man and fired more rounds. As this was happening, the parked car drove and struck Vhani, running her over in the process before driving off.
The artist born Kevhani Camilla Hicks was arrested and booked on second-degree murder charges and was jailed. She is now free on Bond as of Monday (November 27) and shared a message on Instagram to her nearly 23,000 fans.
From IG:
“Good morning to all of my supporters and fans! I’m finally home after experiencing something so traumatic and life changing. I have 3 broken ribs and bruises all over so I’m currently healing and getting rest,” she wrote. “I just want to personally thank everyone who supports me and knows that I’m not the horrible person some are claiming that I am. I can’t comment on the case at all, but I pray you all continue to stand by me and support me through this tragic time. I love you all to the moon and back!”
A public defender for Hicks says that their client was acting in self-defense. A trial date has yet to be announced.
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Photo: Key Vhani / @ibeenkey.vhani
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A mass shooting event in Maine took place on Wednesday night (October 25), leaving 18 dead and 13 others injured. A massive manhunt has been launched to locate Robert Card, the chief suspect in the shooting.
Maine news outlet WMTW reports that the suspect Robert Card, 40, carried out the shooting in the town of Lewiston, which is 36 miles northeast of Portland and 29 miles southwest of Augusta, the state’s capital.
Gov. Janet Mills made a public statement regarding the tragedy.
“I’m profoundly saddened to stand before you today and report that 18 people lost their lives. Thirteen people were injured in last night’s attacks,” Mills shared.
The shootings took place at the Spare Time/Just-In-Time Recreation Bowling Alley and Schemengees Bar in Lewiston. Of the 18 victims, seven people died at the bowling alley and eight people died at the bar. Three individuals ended up succumbing to their wounds on the way to receive treatment at a local hospital.
An arrest warrant is out for Card, who Army officials confirmed has been a member of the Army Reserve since 2002. In response to the shooting, schools in Portland are closed today as are city buildings. Shelter-in-place orders have been enacted in the cities of Lewiston, Lisbon, and Bowdoin.
A U.S. defense official shared that on July 17, the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment leadership informed the authorities at the Camp Smith Training Site in New York that Card displayed behavior that raised some questions.
Officials suggested that law enforcement officials be informed of Card’s behavior. Card was taken to the Keller Army Community Hospital at the United States Military Academy by the New York State Police for evaluation.
Robert Card is thought to be armed and dangerous.
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Morgan State University was the site of a Tuesday night (October 3) shooting that left five people injured, with all of the victims expected to survive their injuries. As details of the shooting continue to develop, the incident adds to the growing gun violence epidemic sweeping inner cities across the nation.
Morgan State University, which is nestled in the northeast section of Baltimore, Md., erupted into gunfire Tuesday night according to a report from local outlet, The Baltimore Sun. According to the report, five people, four of whom are Morgan State University students, were among the victims. Further, this occurred during the school’s Homecoming Week celebrations.
From The Baltimore Sun:
University police heard the gunshots around 9:30 p.m. Responding officers, including Baltimore Police and federal agents, found five shooting victims near a campus residential building and a fine arts facility. Those five — four men and one woman, who range in age from 18 to 22 years old — suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Baltimore Police have not identified a suspect, but said Wednesday morning they believed the incident took place outside and stemmed from a dispute between two smaller groups. Commissioner Richard Worley said none of the people wounded were intended targets.
According to Baltimore City Councilman Ryan Dorsey, there were three shooters in the incident although the Baltimore Police Department did not confirm this via a public statement.
Morgan State University did not hold classes today as officials worked to repair damage to the windows of Thurgood Marshall Hall.
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Chris Kaba, a known UK Drill rapper, was shot and killed by a Metropolitan Police officer in September 2022 after a high-speed chase in South West London. Reports are now coming forth that the Met Police officer responsible for the death of Chris Kaba has been granted bail after they were initially charged.
We first learned of the Chris Kaba case via a report from The Sun, which shared in its reporting that the rapper was shot dead in Streatham Hill while driving an Audi Q8 that local police connected to an earlier gun incident. Kaba was followed by an unmarked police vehicle before officers boxed the car in. With Kaba trapped by the cars, one officer fired a shot into the front windshield, striking Kaba.
The unnamed officer, known only as NX121 according to a BBC report, was charged formally after an investigation from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded. The officer was held at Westminster Magistrates’ Court but appeared at the Central Criminal Court, known widely in London as the Old Bailey, and was granted bail.
Via a court order, officer NX121 was granted bail release but must alert the court of his living address, surrender his passport, and not apply to travel beyond the nation’s borders. Officer NX121 will appear again in court on December 1 of this year with a possible trial date of September 9 next year.
Kaba, also known as Itch, Madix, or Mad Itch, was a member of the 67 Hip-Hop collective and also worked as a construction worker. The crew has been framed as a criminal gang by Met Police and has faced criticism in the press due to the nature of their lyrics and beef with rival crews.
Chris Kaba was 24.
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Photo: @dimzy6ix7even / Instagram
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Sexyy Red is speaking out after a shooting took place near a video shoot in Florida on Thursday (September 14), leaving one person dead and another injured. According to the rapper, the shooting was in no way linked to the recording of her video with Sukihana.
Florida outlet Local 10 reports that gunfire erupted in the city of Oakland Park, which is north of Fort Lauderdale around 8 p.m. local time. The incident took place near Oakland Park Flea Market Mall, which is where Sexxy Red and Sukihana were filming their video. One victim was found near the mall, while the other was found at a nearby gas station.
“All we just hear is ‘bop, bop, bop, bop.’ Everybody start running, everybody start running — I’m like, ‘damn.’ Everybody started running, bumping into each other— it was just crazy,” one witness shared with the news outlet.
Authorities found one of the victims already dead and the other was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. Area police are still investigating the matter and using local surveillance camera footage to help crack the case.
On Instagram, Sexxy Red issued a statement via the Stories feed and sent condolences to the victims.
From IG:
“I send my condolences to the family of the man who lost his life and prayers up for the person who was wounded.”
Sexxy Red went on to clarify that the shooting actually took place at the gas station across the mall and any attempts to make the St. Louis rapper the blame for the incident won’t stand.
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A man was shot and critically wounded during a Lil Baby show at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN on Thursday night (Sept. 7) according to an Associated Press report. According to a statement posted by the Memphis Police Department, officers responded to reports of a shooting at the venue at 10:23 p.m., with “one adult male shooting victim [was] located and transported to Regional One Health in critical condition.”
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At the time of the tweet from the Memphis PD, the identity of the shooter was unknown and no other injuries were reported in the incident during Baby’s It’s Only Us tour, which also features The Kid Laroi and Glorilla. At press time a spokesperson for Lil Baby had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional comment on the shooting.
The venue released a statement on the shooting, saying, “A person was shot tonight at FedExForum during the Lil Baby concert. The incident is under investigation and we are fully cooperating with the Memphis Police Department.”
WREG 3 reported that Baby (born Dominique Armani Jones), 28, was performing and had to be rushed off the stage after the shots were fired in the venue. “I heard a pop,” concert attendee Clarissa Johnson told the station. “I’m not sure what happened but I had a suite, so I told all my crew, ‘get down.’ So we evacuated. Once we evacuated, did a head count. I’m still not sure what happened. It’s not so sweet tonight, though.”
Memphis Police said the shooting took place on the first floor of the 19,000-seat arena that is home to the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies; concertgoers reportedly told WREG that the shots were fired during the first 30 minutes of Baby’s headlining set, after which the venue was evacuated. MPD public information officer Sgt. Louis Brownlee told the Commercial Appeal that it was unknown if the shooter and victim knew each other, how many times the victim was shot or how many shots were fired.
Brownlee also said it was not clear how the firearm got into the venue; the venue requires concert attendees to go through a metal detector while entering.
Baby was scheduled to play the KFC YUM! Center in Louisville, KY on Friday night (Sept. 8), but the venue announced that the gig had been cancelled with no explanation, with refunds available at point of purchase. At press time it appeared the rapper’s show at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Saturday night (Sept. 9) would go on as scheduled.
See the Memphis PD statement below.
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The shooting in Jacksonville that was enacted by a gunman who targeted Black people was revealed to be a white supremacist by authorities investigating the matter. The shooting took place over the weekend, claiming three victims and officials are still piecing together the evidence leading up to the fatal event.
The shooting took place Saturday afternoon at a Florida Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Fla. around 2 PM local time.
Jacksonville County Sheriff T.K. Waters shared in a news conference that the shooter left behind disturbing messages on his computer and that he altered his father about where to find his writings ahead of firing a rifle similar in scope to an AR-15 weapon inside the store. The gun, according to reports, was adorned with swastikas, and the shooter was also armed with a handgun.
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“This shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people,” Sheriff Waters, who is Black, said over the weekend at the news conference. “He wanted to kill n*ggers.”
According to a report from the Associated Press, the 21-year-old white male shooter took his own life shortly after the shooting. While details of his manifestos have not been shared publicly since this is a recent matter, authorities say that his writings were motivated by racist ideology and hate speech.
Gov. Ron DeSantis attended a Sunday afternoon vigil in honor of the three Jacksonville shooting victims but was loudly booed when he took the microphone to speak to the crowd. DeSantis, who is Republican and running for his party’s presidential nomination, has made obtaining high-powered guns easier in the state due to freeing up gun laws and has been critical of issues important to Black people such as critical race theory.
Sheriff Waters identified the names of the victims during the press conference. Angela Carr, 52, was shot while sitting in her care. Dollar General employee A.J. Laguerre, 19, was shot as he tried to run away. Customer Jerrald Gallion, 29, was shot as he entered the Dollar General.
The gunman’s name has not been revealed.
[h/t NewsOne]
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Quavo‘s assistant, who was one of three people wounded in the November 2022 shooting in Houston that killed Migos rapper Takeoff, filed a lawsuit against the venue Wednesday (Aug. 16) for failing to provide adequate security, screening or emergency assistance before or after the incident.
Joshua Washington, who was working as Quavo’s personal assistant at the time of the tragedy, is suing 810 Billiards and Bowling, its owners and property managers over the incident. He is being represented by civil rights attorney Bakari Sellers of the Strom Law Firm and Audia Jones of the Law Office of Audia Jones.
“810 Houston was warned that they needed extra security. They knew it was a hotspot for violent crime and that an after-hours event like this could turn deadly in a second,” said Sellers in a statement. “But they ignored those warnings and now they have blood on their hands. This shooting was a tragedy. But it was a preventable tragedy.”
According to the lawsuit, defendants 810 Houston, LVA4 Houston Greenstreet, Lionstone Partners, Midway Companies and Cushman & Wakefeld of Texas “provided no screening mechanisms, no after-hours controls or security measures, and no enforcement of rules or industry standards to deter crime against their invitees.” The suit also states that while the shooting was taking place, “no security personnel or personnel from the venue responded or otherwise attempted to deter or end the violence.”
“They had no properly trained security personnel, adequate signage, lighting or cameras. They had no screening to keep out weapons. They didn’t even have a working metal detector,” Jones said in a statement. “This was a powder keg of their own making and folks like Takeoff and Joshua Washington got caught in the explosion.”
Takeoff (real name Kirshnik Khari Ball) was shot and killed in the wee hours of Nov. 1, 2022. He was 28.
Washington, who was an innocent bystander, was shot in his right side by stray bullets, which entered about an inch from his colon. And because the elevators and escalators at the venue “were not operational before, during, or after the event,” he claimed in the suit that he had to run down three flights of stairs while sustaining serious personal injuries, find his own way to the hospital and spend approximately one to two days there while seeking the care of medical professionals. Washington had the bullet from his right side removed, but doctors were unable to remove the bullet fragments. He currently resides in Georgia.
“There was no one. The bullets started flying and no one came to help,” Washington said in a statement. “There were no security guards trying to stop the shooting, no one to help those of us who were hurt, no one at all. They just left us there to die.”
Washington’s lawsuit was filed just two months after Takeoff’s mother, Titania Davenport, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Houston bowling alley.
Representatives for 810 Billiards & Bowling did not respond to Billboard‘s request for comment at press time.
You can read the full lawsuit below.
