Reporting on the death of artists within the hip-hop community is never easy, especially when they're this young. ABC 7 Chicago reports that a 14-year-old boy was fatally shot on the city's South Side a few days ago. The incident occurred on Thursday (April 20) at 1 PM local time on the 2300 block of East 80th Street. Though the outlet was unaware of the teen's identity, TruthTellerTV on YouTube has since claimed that ShortyMobb rapper Lil Ronald lost his life due to the senseless gun violence.
When he was shot, the Drill artist was allegedly sitting in a car. He was rushed to South Shore Hospital immediately after, though he was ultimately pronounced dead by doctors. There have been no arrests in connection with the murderous incident, however, local detectives continue to investigate and seek answers. Aside from the YouTube upload claiming Ronald is the crime's victim, a Reddit post from last week also shows a screenshot from Lil Los' Instagram Story, seemingly paying tribute to the rising star, taken too soon.
Teen Drill Artist Lil Ronald Reported Dead in Chicago
As HipHopDX notes, we have yet to receive official confirmation that Ronald is the one who was fatally shot in Chicago. If true, the slaying marks the second murder of a ShortyMobb member in recent months. According to a post from @raphousetv, another person in the crew, Cello, was killed on the East Side of Chicago earlier this year. While reports of the teenager's alleged death continue to circulate online, hundreds of Twitter users are sharing their thoughts on the tragedy.
"This is why it's drastically important for parents to be 100% active in their children's lives," one person wrote. "And actually show them you care and love them. Or they will find it elsewhere in a different form." Others pointed out photos making rounds of Lil Ronald flexing a weapon for the camera. "I mean these images do say a lot," they noted. "The obsession these young people got with guns is unhealthy, backed by a country that enforces these silly gun laws." Someone else wrote back, "He's 14, you can't have a handgun at that age. Literally already illegal 💀." Check back later for any updates on the investigation. RIP.