Chicago rapper King Von dead at 26
The 'Crazy Story 2.0' rapper was killed in a shootout that involved police
Another young rapper is gone too soon.
King Von, who was born Dayvon Bennett, was among three men killed on Friday when an argument turned into gunfire in the early morning hours outside an Atlanta hookah lounge.
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Two groups of men got into an altercation around 3:20 a.m. outside Atlanta’s Monaco Hookah Lounge. The Chicago rapper was wounded and taken to the hospital where he later passed away, per the Chicago Sun Times.
“He was a devoted father, a deeply loyal friend, and a man who took care of his people before himself,” said his publicist, Erin Ryan, in a statement. “We are heartbroken for his family, his friends, his team, and his fans. Long live King Von.”
Off-duty Atlanta police officers who were posted at the lounge as security and an on-duty officer patrolling nearby fired shots as well, while responding to the confrontation between the two groups. TMZ reports the bullet that hit King Von was not from an officer’s gun but the incident is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Atlanta police. Six men were injured in total but no police officers were wounded.
“Part of the investigations will include determining which individuals were struck by gunfire from the suspects and whether any were struck by gunfire from the officers,” police said, according to the Sun-Times.
The up-and-coming rapper affiliated with Lil Durk and signed to his Only The Family label had just released his third album, “Welcome to O-Block” last week. He was 26 years old.
Fellow Chicago rapper Chance the Rapper was one of the musicians who mourned King Von’s death on social media as did Lebron James, who said he and his sons were fans.
“Wow. This year was so tough. rip von God bless him and his family I can’t believe it.”
Fellow young rap star YBN Cordae posted his condolences.
“Rest In Peace King Von,” R&B singer Jacquees posted.
“Damn Rest Easy Von! Bronny, Bryce and I rocked with his music and story telling! The kid had a damn good future ahead of him. My prayers and blessings to his family,” James said on Twitter.
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The scene was described as “chaotic” by Atlanta police Deputy Chief Timothy Peek, who said police believe all six men were involved in the altercation. Two men were detained at the crime scene and it’s possible there may have been more people shot, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“At this time, our investigators believe Mr. Bennett was shot during the initial shootout between the two groups of males, prior to police responding and attempting to stop the shooting,” Officer Anthony Grant, a police spokesman, said in a statement obtained by the AJC. “Additionally, Mr. Bennett was not located at the scene, but arrived at a hospital shortly after the shooting, via private vehicle. The investigation into this incident remains open and very active.”
King Von and Lil Durk, born Durk Derrick Banks, were facing multiple charges including attempted murder, in connection with a shooting outside The Varsity in Atlanta in 2019. In that incident, a man was “seriously injured” per the AJC. King Von was arrested in Atlanta again a few months later on an aggravated battery charge.
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