23-year-old Ricky Hawk, better known as Atlanta rapper Silento, was arrested on Monday for murdering his cousin.
What We Know:
- According to the police report, officers responded to a shooting call where they discovered the victim, 34-year-old Frederick Rooks, lying on a road in Panthersville at about 3:30 am on January 21st. He is believed to have been shot to death after investigators found gunshot injuries to his face and leg, along with at least 8 bullet casings surrounding him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
-
CNN reported that nearby neighbors had recorded the incident via home security cameras. The footage captured at least one gunshot being fired from a car before several vehicles fled the scene at high speeds, one car honking its horn.
- Silento is most known for his 2015 hit single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” The viral dance song earned him a number three spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and multiple award nominations.
- Silento has had two previous arrests within the last year after being accused of recklessly driving 143 mph on an interstate. In this case, Silento reportedly told police he was speeding because he’d been followed after leaving a club in Gwinnett County. In the other case, Silento was charged with threatening people with a hatchet in a home in Los Angeles while looking for his girlfriend.
- Silento’s rep Chanel Hudson told TMZ that the rapper has suffered for years from a “series of mental health illnesses.” She says that his family has expressed serious concerns about his well-being.
Investigators are still working on determining a motive for the murder while Silento is being held without bail at the DeKalb County Jail.
