Lil Baby video linked to gang violence that killed 2 children; 7 arrested

Atlanta police announced on Wednesday the arrest of seven individuals linked to a gang war that, according to authorities, was sparked by a shooting during rapper Lil Baby’s music video production last year and ultimately led to the deaths of two children.

The initial incident occurred on May 15, 2024, when three men were shot during Lil Baby’s music video shoot on Verbena Street in northwest Atlanta, according to Major Ralph Woolfolk of the Atlanta Police Department’s Violent Crime Interdiction Section.

Police described the decision to film in what they called a rival gang’s territory as a key factor in escalating tensions, though details surrounding the cause of the shooting remain under investigation.

The violence peaked in July 2024, when 13-year-olds Jakody Davis and Lamon Freeman were fatally shot during Freeman’s birthday party in Atlanta’s Oakland City neighborhood. A third juvenile was also injured in the shooting.

Atlanta police allege that the killings were a retaliatory act linked to the earlier music video incident, with a high-ranking gang member ordering the hit from a Georgia prison using a contraband cellphone. The boys, described as innocent bystanders with no gang affiliations, were caught in the crossfire.

“Lamon Freeman was allowed to be a 13-year-old for 27 minutes,” Woolfolk said. “Before gang violence ultimately took his life.”

“Gang violence that was orchestrated by adults, and cowardly acts by an Atlanta-based rapper who decided to go into a rival gang stronghold and shoot a music video in a place he knew he should not have been,” Woolfolk added, referencing Lil Baby’s music video that allegedly ignited the gang war.

“In the subsequent days, we saw homicides and shootings, and ultimately, the deaths of two children as a result of his cowardly actions. And you know who you are,” the official said, adding that the Atlanta police team investigating the incident intends to hold Lil Baby and those affiliated with him responsible for their actions.

The seven suspects arrested, and the high-ranking gang member in prison, face charges in connection with the teenagers’ deaths. Police said the case remains active and are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to additional arrests or convictions.