Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, the rapper known as XXXTentacion, was shot dead in South Florida Monday afternoon, according to local law enforcement. He was 20.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office tweeted that law enforcement was responding to a shooting incident in Deerfield Beach, about 40 miles north of Miami. An adult male was taken to an area hospital. About an hour later, the sheriff’s department said on Twitter that the man was pronounced dead and confirmed Onfroy’s identity shortly thereafter.
Onfroy was shopping for motorcycles and was leaving the dealership, according to TMZ. Local law enforcement said he was approached by two armed individuals. One of them fired at Onfroy. Both suspects fled in a dark-colored SUV. Investigators believe it was a possible robbery.
The shooting reportedly occurred just before 4:00 p.m. outside a Riva Motorsports location.
The rapper grew up in Pompano Beach and Lauderhill, Florida, neighborhoods near where the shooting occurred.
Onfroy’s rapid rise to fame was marked by controversy, as described in a timeline of his career put together by New York magazine. The rapper was involved in serious legal trouble and episodes of violence, including getting into fights with fans, and had been accused of repeated instances of domestic assault.
At the time of his death, Onfroy faced criminal charges from a 2016 domestic violence case. Charges included aggravated assault of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment and witness tampering.
The artist’s first album, titled “17” and released in August 2017, debuted at the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. His second album, titled “?” and released in March, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.
In May, Spotify removed XXXTentacion’s music from its official playlists and recommendation features, citing a new policy targeted at “hate content and hateful conduct.” The policy also targeted R. Kelly, who faces multiple accusations of sexual assault. After a backlash, Spotify announced it would reinstate XXXTentacion’s music.
Following news of his death on Monday, many fans shared a video Onfroy had posted to Snapchat in which he discussed the kind of legacy he wanted to leave.
Rapper Kanye West expressed his grief at Onfroy’s death in a tweet Monday evening.