ATLANTA (AP) – A shooting on Interstate 85 in the Atlanta suburbs claimed the life of an up-and-coming Texas rap artist, one of three freeway shootings in the metropolitan area in two days, authorities said Saturday.
Rapper Corey Detiege, who performed under the stage name Chucky Trill, died in an area hospital after the shooting on Friday, police in suburban Gwinnett County said.
Police Cpl. Collin Flynn, a department spokesman, said someone pulled up next to Detiege’s car and opened fire around 3 a.m. on Friday, WSB TV reported. Ditiege, 33, was from Sugar Land, Texas.
Flynn said the suspect had fled and that a motive for the murder was unknown. Police did not provide an immediate description of the suspect’s vehicle and did not make an arrest.
On Saturday, a man was grazed by a bullet on I-285 in DeKalb County when another driver drove next to him and opened fire, police spokeswoman Elise Wells said.
Cops were called to a gas station around 4 a.m. after the man, who was in his 40s, stopped and called 911, Wells said.
“It appears that the victim was driving 285 when an unidentified vehicle stopped next to him and fired several shots into the victim’s car,” Wells said in an emailed statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It is unclear what triggered the shooting.
The man has been taken to hospital and is expected to recover, authorities said.
And about an hour before Detiege was murdered Friday, someone on Interstate 75 shot a driver in the head, authorities said. That man stays in the hospital. A witness told police the shot was fired after two cars tried to occupy the same lane. The shooter fled.
This year there have been at least four incidents on interstates in the area.
Rapper Bun B was one of the performers who expressed condolences on social media after Detiege’s death.
‘This was a good man. Humiliate. Hardworking. Loyal. Determined. Focused. And he had the talent. Queen saw him and told @boneafied “That boy is good. If he doesn’t have a manager, you should do it. And he did, put everything he had in it. We are heartbroken this morning and offer our deepest condolences to D, Bone and all his family, friends and supporters. Buy or stream his music and let’s keep his memory alive. #RIPChuckyTrill , ”Said his post.
Chucky Trill was managed by Bone of Boneafied Entertainment, which also includes Bun B.
The shootings occur at Sunday’s NBA All-Star game in Atlanta. But Flynn was unable to confirm whether Detiege was in Atlanta for the game.
Chucky Trill released his album “Music for the Soul” in 2018 and had more music in the works, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Police said the recent trend of interstate shootings in Atlanta is very concerning.
“Not only can the person lose control of their car after being shot or injured by a gunshot, but if you shoot from a moving vehicle and there are other moving vehicles nearby, you could be shot,” said Flynn.