Rapper Julio Foolio Dead at 26 After Being Fatally Shot in Florida

Rapper Julio Foolio is dead at 26 after being shot outside a hotel in Florida early Sunday morning (June 23), his attorney confirmed to NBC News.

The “Pain” rapper — born Charles Jones — was celebrating his 26th birthday Saturday night (June 22) before relocating to a Holiday Inn, where, according to his lawyer Lewis Fusco, the musician was ambushed by assailants.

The Tampa Police Department tells Billboard that law enforcement arrived to the scene after receiving a 911 call around 4:40 a.m. ET. There, they found a pair of vehicles that had been peppered with bullets in the parking lot. Jones was pronounced dead, and three others were taken to a local hospital and were in stable condition.

Before arriving to the hotel, the rapper and a crew were celebrating his birthday at a nearby Airbnb, but he claimed authorities “shut us down and kicked us out,” NBC News reported, citing his Instagram Story.

Police are working to identify those involved, and are investigating for a motive. The Tampa Police Department requests that anyone with information related to the shooting call 813-231-6130.

Jones’ most recent project arrived in April with Resurrection. When announcing the album, Foolio admitted there had been “multiple attempts” on his life, but he’s continued to persevere.

“THESE LAST COUPLE MONTHS/YEARS OF MY LIFE BEEN TRAGIC,” he wrote to Instagram on April 4. “GOD BEEN TRYNNA SEND ME A MESSAGE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS ON MY LIFE I KEEP SURVIVING..I KEEP LOSING MY BRUDDAS TO JAIL AND GRAVEYARDS BUT I KNOW THE MOST HIGH DOING EVERYTHING FOR A REASON HE LET ME WALK AGAIN FOR A REASON.”