Chicago rapper KTS Dre was fatally shot over the weekend after reportedly being ambushed by multiple gunmen following his release from the Cook County Jail.
The shooting occurred on Saturday and 31-year-old KTS Dre (born Londre Sylvester) suffered as many as 64 bullet wounds to his head and other parts of his body, police said, per NBC Chicago.
The rising hip-hop artist had just been released from jail and was walking to a vehicle when several suspects “exited two separate vehicles and all began to shoot in Sylvester’s direction, striking him numerous times,” the police report said.
KTS Dre was one of at least 40 people who was shot in the city over the weekend; 10 of the victims died from their injuries. Police believe the local rap star was targeted, Fox 32 reports. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 60-year-old woman who was walking with him at the time of the attack took a bullet to the knee. She is reportedly listed in good condition at Stroger Hospital. A 30-year-old woman who was walking by as shots rang out suffered a graze wound to her mouth, and is also listed in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, per the report.
KTS Dre was out on bail for charges related to an April 2020 arrest for being a felon in possession of a weapon and resisting police. He posted the required $5,000 of a $50,000 bail and was fitted with an ankle monitor before he was killed. According to CWB Chicago, KTS stands for “Kill To Survive.”
His death comes days after aspiring rapper Indian Red Boy was shot and killed while live streaming on Instagram last week in Hawthorne, California.
Indian Red Boy, born Dijon Rivera, was reportedly live-streaming with fellow gang member Kapone on Thursday, July 8, when he was shot 12 times.
The graphic video shows him getting shot in his left eye, his neck, and upper torso. He can be heard begging Kapone to “get help.”
One Twitter user described the video as “brutal,” adding, “One minute you laughing it up, next minute you gasping for breath begging for help.”
Kapone shared the tragic news on a now-deleted Instagram. He posted a video of Indian Red Boy dancing and captioned the clip: “LLINDIANREDD. I LOVE YOU GANKG”
According to Hawthorne police Lt. Ti Goetz, the gunman fled the scene after the killing.
“It appears to have been a walk-up shooting and he appears to have been targeted,” Goetz told Daily Breeze.
The rapper may have been targeted after he reportedly vandalized a Nipsey Hussle mural. Several Twitter users seemed convinced that Kapone betrayed his friend by setting him up to be taken out for good.
Authorities are still searching for the suspect who shot Indian Red Boy, and police in Chicago have reportedly made no arrests in the killing of KTS Dre.
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