Upcoming Brooklyn rapper 22Gz was arrested early on Memorial Day (May 29) in Miami for murder and other serious offenses. According to a police affidavit obtained by Revolt TV, the 19-year-old rapper born Jeffery Alexander was charged with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon and second-degree attempted murder with a deadly weapon/firearm.
Alexander, who was in town for a performance two nights earlier, is alleged to be the triggerman in a shooting that injured one unidentified man and killed 30-year-old Ladarian Tyrell Phillips. Miami Beach police identified Alexander as the driver of a white BMW with New York plates, whose driver got into a dispute with Phillips and his friend on Sunday night. While parking the car on Ocean Drive, Alexander’s vehicle repeatedly bumped Phillips already parked car. Phillips witnessed this while standing outside of his car, and approached the BMW. This resulted in an argument. Authorities accuse 22GZ of shooting a handgun from his car, fatally striking Phillips in the back. Phillips’ friend was also shot in the leg but survived.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Alexander and three unidentfied friends fled the scene in the BMW and were chased by the police. They were all apprehended shortly after, but not before a multi-car crash and shootout with police. One of the suspects was shot and hospitalized, before dying earlier this morning.
22Gz is most known for his song “Suburban,” which has more than 1.1 million views on YouTube.
This morning during a press conference, Chief Daniel J. Oates gave a precise breakdown of what transpired last night. Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco then declared an end to “Urban Beach Week.”
“Our city leaders are taking this very seriously,” he said. “I’m here to let you know that Urban Beach Weekend is a thing of the past. After 17 years trying to handle this and measure success by the number of arrests or lack of shootings, this is something we’re no longer going to tolerate. There will likely be legislation coming up in the next couple of weeks that will be specifically addressing the last two weeks of May.”