A 14-year-old boy identified as a nephew to rapper 21 Savage took his own life after allegedly shooting his sister in the neck, according to the family.
Police arrived at the scene after responding to reports of gunfire on Wednesday, finding two people with gunshot wounds: a boy and a girl.
The boy, identified as Seven Shirley, was found with a gunshot wound and no signs of life. His sister, 12-year-old Lyric Shirley, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was transported to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Lyric has undergone multiple surgeries this week. The timeline for her return home remains unclear pending medical clearance.
Seven’s grandmother, Sharon Smith, who raised him from infancy, told local outlet 11 Alive that her grandson took his own life after shooting his sister.
“Just that fast that boy had made the decision to kill himself,” Smith said. “He probably sat up there and thought, ‘I’m finna go to jail, they’re going to ridicule me, everybody is going to be doing this and that and this, and this and that,’ and he couldn’t take it.”
Smith says she doesn’t know how Seven obtained the gun but hopes the person responsible for providing it faces prosecution.
21 Savage, identified as Seven’s uncle, posted a tribute after his death, sharing a childhood photo with the caption: “Remember when you was a baby.”
The family released a statement calling for community action on gun violence. “As our family grieves, we are asking our community to stand with us in another way,” it read. “Please help us get these guns off our streets. Far too many young lives are being taken by senseless gun violence. We must work together to stop the illegal sale and access of firearms to minors and do everything we can to protect our children.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
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