DaBaby: Unseen Footage Casts Doubt On His Self-Defense Claim In 2018 Shooting
By Power 105’s Vonyetta
In 2018, Charlotte rapper DaBaby was involved in an incident, where he shot and killed 19-year-old Jaylin Craig; DaBaby alleged that Craig attempted to rob him in a Huntersville, North Carolina Walmart. The following year, the rapper, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, was cleared of murder charges, but was sentenced to 12 months probation with a suspended jail sentence. But now, Rolling Stone is reporting that unseen footage contradicts Kirk’s story.
Rolling Stone reports that the footage shows DaBaby to be the aggressor in the situation; Craig’s family and his best friend Henry Douglas say that the fight started when DaBaby became annoyed that Craig recognized him in the store, and they allege that the rapper demanded that they fight outside of the store. DaBaby claimed to police that one of the teens had first suggested they should fight, but the footage shows Craig standing nearby as Kirk sucker punches Douglas. Rolling Stone says that the injury left Douglas with a bruised eye socket and a gash in his forehead that required stitches.
After DaBaby punched Douglas, Rolling Stone reports, Craig appears to pull out a gun from his waistband, but as he walks out of frame, he appears to begin to put it back. Other footage from later on in the fight, in which it’s unclear whether or not Craig is still brandishing his gun, shows Kirk pulling out a concealed gun from his waistband and mortally wounding Craig. Officials later determined, based on the security footage, witness testimony, and a weapon found near Craig’s body, that Craig had a gun on him, but it’s inconclusive if Craig was brandishing the gun as he approached the two men.
Rolling Stone‘s report goes into a lot more detail about the altercation, as well as how Jaylin Craig’s family has been affected.
