Police say Michigan rappers found dead last month were victims of gang violence
Detroit Police Chief James White said Montoya Givens, Armani Kelly and Dante Wicker had a performance at Lounge 31 in Detroit canceled on Jan. 21, the last day anyone heard from them.
Michigan State Police claim gang violence is to blame for the deaths of three rappers found shot to death last month.
Montoya Givens, 31; Armani Kelly, 28; and Dante Wicker, 31, were reported missing in late January following the cancellation of their performance at a Detroit club. According to CNN, their bodies were found nearly two weeks later in an abandoned apartment complex police described as “rat-infested.”
In a series of tweets on Friday, state police officials addressed “rumors” floating around regarding the active homicide investigation.
“This was a gang violence related incident,” shared the Twitter public information account for
Michigan State Police’s Second District, according to CNN. “This homicide was not random,” the post continued, adding that the killings had nothing to do with “music or a performance.”
Detroit Police Chief James White said Kelly, Wicker and Givens had a performance at Lounge 31, located on the Motor City’s east side, on Jan. 21, the last day anyone heard from them, theGrio previously reported. White said the men’s cell phone usage, including any social media activity, ceased the following day.
Authorities said Kelly’s mother, Lorrie Kemp, reported her son missing to Oscoda police on Jan. 23, after realizing she hadn’t heard from him.
As Kelly’s vanishing became of interest in the media, “other family members of the other missings come to realize that’s a friend of their loved ones, and they haven’t seen them either,” said Michael McGinnis, the Detroit Police Department’s commander of major crimes, according to CNN. Wicker and Givens were reported missing shortly after.
While no one is in custody, police contend some individuals know details about what occurred and urged them to come forward.
“Together,” authorities added via Twitter, CNN reported, “we can bring closure to these families.”
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