The Memphis police chief told her city's citizens to stay home after rapper Young Dolph was killed outside of a cookie store - sparkin...
The Memphis police chief told her city's citizens to stay home after rapper Young Dolph was killed outside of a cookie store - sparking fears of reprisals from the local hip hop scene.
'Tonight we strongly encourage everyone to stay home if you do not have to be out,' Police Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis announced in a press conference Wednesday night.
She also suggested that the police department might call for a city-wide curfew 'in case of acts of retribution' in the near future and encouraged city residents 'to remain calm as we actively perform our investigation'.
Young Dolph, 36, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting while buying cookies at Makeda's Butter Cookies on Airways Bouolevard in Memphis around 1pm on Wednesday.
Police are still investigating the motive and no arrests have been made.
Davis did not release any information about potential suspects but noted that 'the shooting is another example of the senseless gun violence we are experiencing locally and nationwide'.
The police chief said that she is deploying extra officers around the city to try and stop reprisals over the rapper's death.
Rapper Young Dolph (pictured) was shot and killed as he was buying cookies at Makeda's Butter Cookies in Memphis on Airways Bouolevard in Memphis around 1pm on Wednesday
Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis announced in a press conference Wednesday night: 'Tonight we strongly encourage everyone to stay home if you do not have to be out,' and suggested the police department may enact a curfew
Fans were pictured lined up outside the cookie shop and recorded videos of the taped-off crime scene as they shared their disbelief that the local rapper gunned down
Officers with the Memphis Police Department were at the scene as people gathered in honor of Young Dolph
'Right now, we think that the deployment of our officers in the specific areas that are impacted the most will be enough presence for tonight,' she said, adding: 'The Memphis Police Department is providing an increased presence in areas of the city that might be directly impacted by this unfortunate incident.
'We are committed to working with the community to stop these senseless murders. We are also committed to bringing those responsible for today's shooting and others to justice.'
Young Dolph's cousin Mareno Myers told local news outlets that the rapper had been back in his hometown since Monday visiting an aunt who has cancer and had plans of handing out Thanksgiving turkeys.
'He was inside (Makeda's), and somebody just rolled up on him and took his life,' Myers said.
'The tragic shooting death of rap artist Young Dolph serves as another reminder of the pain that violent crime brings with it,' Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said in a statement.
Images of the crime scene show a large police presence and Young Dolph's unique camouflage sports car that he has showed off on social media parked outside the cookie shop. It was pictured being towed away after the fatal shooting
Crowds gathered outside of Makeda's Cookies bakery after Young Dolph was shot and killed on November 17, 2021 in Memphis, Tennessee
The community was in disbelief after Yuong Dolph - whose real name is Adolph Thorton Jr - was killed when a a vehicle pulled up to the cookie shop on Airways Boulevard and fired through the window, striking him
Store owner Maurice Hill told Fox 13 News that the 36-year-old rapper walked into the store to purchase cookies and a vehicle pulled up and fired through the window, striking him.
Images of the crime scene show a large police presence and Young Dolph's unique camouflage sports car that he has showed off on social media parked outside the cookie shop.
Fans lined up outside the store recording videos of the taped-off crime scene sharing their disbelief that the local rapper gunned down.
However, this was not the rapper's - whose real name is Adolph Robert Thornton Jr - first time being targeted by shooters yet police have not confirmed whether his death was related to the other gunfires.
In 2017 Young Dolph was shot in the buttocks and arms when he was shot outside a shoe store in Hollywood, TMZ reported.
The 36-year-old (pictured) was born in Chicago but grew up in Memphis since he was a toddler
Prior to that the rapper's SUV was shot at over 100 times in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading to the arrest of fellow rapper Black Youngsta.
The fatal shooting came one week after he was recorded outside the cookie shop promoting its chocolate chip cookies in a video posted to social media.
'All I came for is to get some Makeda's,' he said in the post.
The 36-year-old was born in Chicago but grew up in Memphis since he was a toddler.
He was featured on OT Genasis' 2015 hit 'Cut It' and known for his hit songs 'Major' and 'On the River'.
After his death was confirmed by police, tributes to the rapper began to pour in.
Rapper Gucci Mane tweeted: 'R. I.P. to my friend Dolph this broke my heart.'
Football legend Deion Sanders remembered the rapper with a video of him celebrating a homecoming win with the Jackson State football team last month.
'I appreciate you @YoungDolph for blessing us my brother after our homecoming win. Our young men love ya my man.'
Producer Prentice Penny called the loss 'tragic'.
'I hate hearing about Young Dolph- it's so unnecessary and tragic. Especially to be killed at a cookie store that was founded by a wonderful black family who named their store after a daughter they lost to Leukemia. Lets be better yall,' he tweeted.
In his music, Young Dolph rapped about being a drug dealer and life on the streets in Memphis. He recently performed at a concert at the University of Memphis and has performed during the halftime of a Memphis Grizzlies game.
He was admired in Memphis as a torchbearer of the city's rap legends Three 6 Mafia.
The rising star considered himself a workaholic and in recent years was focused on growing his business. 'I'm a CEO first, then an artist,' he told the writer Gary Suarez in a 2020 interview for Forbes, saying he'd strategically held off on signing with a major label.
'As long as I keep going up and keep working, my value is going to increase.
'I know what the streets want to hear, I know what the street's going through, the lingo, the fashion, everything. It ain't nothing; it's my real life,' he told Suarez.
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