Detroit rapper Skilla Baby, born Trevon Gardner, was nearly killed late Thursday night in a targeted drive-by shooting that transformed Eastbound 8 Mile near Telegraph Road into what eyewitnesses describe as a “war zone.”
According to multiple local reports, including from FOX 2 Detroit and Metro Detroit News, the 25-year-old rapper was grazed in the head and back and shot in the hand after unknown assailants opened fire on a black SUV he was traveling in. The SUV, riddled with bullets, later crashed into a nearby building in what officials say was a deliberate, targeted attack.
“We found shell casings everywhere,” one law enforcement source told FOX 2. “It looked like a shootout. Like something out of a movie. But this was real life. This was an attempted execution.”
BULLETS FLY ON 8 MILE AS RAPPER BARELY ESCAPES WITH HIS LIFE
The chaos erupted just after sunset near the intersection of 8 Mile and Beech Daly, a notoriously busy corridor in northwest Detroit. Residents and business owners nearby reported hearing “dozens of gunshots” pierce the evening calm, followed by the unmistakable sound of screeching tires and a violent crash.
Redford police responded to frantic 911 calls and found the SUV wrecked near a commercial building. Its windows were shattered and metal punctured by bullets. Skilla Baby was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors say he is alert and expected to survive.
The fact that he made it out alive is nothing short of miraculous.
SHATTERED GLASS, BULLET CASINGS, AND NO SUSPECTS
By nightfall, FOX 2 reporters on the ground described a disturbing scene. Evidence markers covered the pavement, shattered glass lay scattered, and a trail of bullet casings stretched down 8 Mile. Surveillance footage from local businesses is now in the hands of investigators, who are working to identify the shooter or shooters.
No suspects have been named, and authorities have not yet confirmed a motive, though early reports indicate this may have been a premeditated strike against the rapper.
“It’s too early to say whether this was gang-related or connected to anything else,” an officer told Metro Detroit News under condition of anonymity. “But whoever did this wanted him dead.”
WHO IS SKILLA BABY?
Skilla Baby, born Trevon Gardner, is one of the most promising names in Detroit’s hip-hop scene. With lyrics infamous for being raw and honest about the cruel realities of street life, his recent collaborative efforts with rapper Tee Grizzley and the viral success of his mixtapes online have earned recognition nationwide. With this comes dangerous fame, however.
He has not yet issued a public statement, and sources close to his team are urging fans to pray for his recovery and remain patient as the investigation unfolds.
THE AFTERMATH: “THIS CITY IS BLEEDING”
Detroit’s long-standing relationship with gun violence is once again under the microscope. This incident raises terrifying questions about the safety of public figures and the communities they represent.
“This wasn’t just a drive-by. This was a message,” said a local promoter who worked with Skilla Baby and asked to remain unnamed. “The city’s bleeding. Artists are getting hunted. And if they can get to Skilla like this, who’s next?”
While police continue to piece together what happened, one thing is chillingly clear. Skilla Baby was supposed to die that night.
But he didn’t.
And now the entire city and hip-hop community is watching.
Police urge anyone with information about the shooting to contact Redford Township Police at (313) 387-2500.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
