Thursday night, a man was shot and injured during a Lil Baby concert at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Fans were forced to evacuate the venue, with no other injuries being reported. The Atlanta rapper was performing alongside Rylo Rodriguez when the incident occurred. He was rushed off stage immediately after the shots were fired. Currently, the shooter's identity is unknown, and Memphis Police have yet to make an arrest. However, they concluded that the shooting was premeditated and the victim was targeted. As police conduct their investigation, here is what we know so far about the Lil Baby concert shooting.
Initial Reporting
The Memphis Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at the FedEx Forum during Lil Baby’s performance around 10:23 p.m. on Thursday (September 7). One concertgoer, Clarissa Johnson, told WREG Memphis she “heard a pop” before evacuating the venue. “I’m still not sure what happened. It’s not so sweet tonight, though,” she said. The shooting victim, later reportedly identified as Young Dolph's cousin, CEO Jizzle, was said to have been in critical condition when police responded before being rushed to Regional One Health Medical Center. The incident reportedly occurred on the first floor near the stage. The victim is no longer in critical condition today, and no other injuries have since been reported.
Statements From Police, Venue, & Performers
Following the shooting, the Memphis Police Department released a statement. They are investigating how a weapon managed to get inside the arena as all fans walk through a metal detector when entering. The shooter’s identity is unknown, and police are actively working to find the culprit. The FedEx Forum also released a statement echoing the goals of the police’s investigation. GloRilla, who was scheduled to perform at the show, commented on the situation. In a social media post, the rapper expressed frustration of her hometown. She said, “Memphis is ghetto as f**k. We been on this tour this whole f*****g time and today they want to f*****g shoot. It ain't been a shootout at not a one of these shows... Man, this some ghetto s**t. It ain't even funny, for real." In addition to GloRilla’s remarks, Lil Baby also took to social media after the shooting.
Lil Baby Assured Fans Their Refunds
While not commenting on the incident, Lil Baby took to Twitter, assuring fans they would be refunded. “Unfortunately I couldn’t perform last night in Memphis. Ima make sure everybody gets a refund tho,” he said in the since-deleted tweet. The rapper also released a statement on his Instagram story, citing "unforeseen circumstances" that prevented him from giving fans a full performance. Baby’s show the following night at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, has also been canceled following the shooting. The rest of his upcoming shows on his It’s Only Us Tour are scheduled to take place as planned.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the lives of concertgoers have been threatened by violence. Shootings, bomb threats, sexual assault, and even crowd-stampedes have become all too common in live music settings. This is all that has been shared about the Lil Baby concert shooting and its ongoing investigation. Be sure to check back in with HotNewHipHop for the latest updates.