Atlanta police are blaming rap star Lil Baby for a pair of teen shooting deaths in July 2024 between two warring gang factions in Atlanta.
During a press conference Wednesday, Feb. 26, APD Homicide Commander Ralph Woolfolk connected the shooting deaths to the “cowardly acts of an Atlanta-based rapper” who decided to shoot a music video in an area “he knew he should not have been.”
Woolfolk confirmed he was referring to Lil Baby, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
APD said Lil Baby filmed music video in dangerous area
Woolfolk said the site of the video shoot in May 2024 created avoidable friction between the Four Pockets Full (4PF) and the Only My Family (OMF) gangs. He also said that his department will work “relentlessly” to hold Lil Baby and affiliates responsible for the violence that occurred that day and afterward.
Seven gang members have been arrested in connection with the two murders.
Investigators tie Lil Baby to the 4PF gang, which was once the name of his music label before he changed it to Glass Window Entertainment in 2024.
APD states what happened
According to police, Lil Baby, whose real name is Dominique Jones, went to the 2100 block of Verbena Street NW in May 2024 to film a music video. That area is known to be frequented by rival OMF gang members.
Officers stated in their report, obtained by Fox 5 Atlanta, that three men were shot that day, although Lil Baby was not injured in that violent episode. All three men survived their injuries, but it set off a chain of violent events.
Police say gang members sought revenge
The news station said the tensions between the two alleged gangs were exacerbated by the shootings that day and resulted in retaliatory violence in the proceeding months throughout the city.
“The overall theme of this case is grown men playing gangster, that left two of our children in graves and a community in fear,” said Atlanta Police Major Ralph Woolfolk, according to WSB-TV.
Innocent teens shot and killed
It turns out that the three people shot on July 2, 2024, in front of their apartment had no gang affiliations and were innocent bystanders. They were celebrating one of their friend’s birthdays when they were ambushed. Two 13-year-olds died at the scene and at the hospital. A third person, who was 11, was also shot but survived.
“All I can tell you is that these young kids had absolutely no ties to gangs,” Detective Summer Brenton told WSB-TV. “They were doing nothing wrong. They were hanging out with each other right outside their apartments.”
Fox 5 stated they reached out to Lil Baby for comment but got no response.
