Florida-based rapper Julio Foolio was shot and killed in Tampa, Florida, over the weekend after a pool birthday party, police say. Foolio, whose real name is Charles Jones, turned 26 on Friday.
Tampa police said they received a 911 call around 4:40 a.m. Sunday reporting a shooting in a hotel parking lot.
The day before, Jones had shared videos on his Instagram Story of himself hosting an Airbnb party, according to footage obtained by Fox 13. Attorney Lewis Fusco, who worked with Jones, told the New York Times that police later asked al “Voo Doo” left because the gathering had exceeded occupancy limits.
Jones then moved to Home2 Suites by Hilton in Tampa. When officers arrived, they found two vehicles with bullet holes, according to a news release from the Tampa Police Department. Police identified Jones as the deceased victim.
Three other people were injured in the shooting. Officers did not identify them, but they are in stable condition and recovering at a hospital, police said.
“Police are investigating what led up to the shooting and working to identify those involved,” the statement said.
Fusco Law Group did not immediately respond to The Times' request for comment.
Fusco mourned Jones' death on his Instagram Story on Sunday.
“While most people knew him as the controversial rapper and artist, I was lucky enough to know Charles Jones, the man beyond public persona,” Fusco wrote. “He was a boy who grew up in difficult circumstances, determined to defy the odds by any means possible and succeed in everything he did. “His journey was marked by resilience and a deep-rooted desire to strive for greatness.”
Jones had amassed nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify before his death. Along with “Voo Doo”, he was known for the songs “Play With Me” and “Dead Opps Pt. 2.”
When Jones released his “Resurrection” mixtape in April, he wrote that he had survived “multiple attempts” on his life. He said he had lost loved ones in “jail and cemeteries.”
“My tape… is a reflection of everything that has been thrown at me [sic],” he said. “I hope everyone can relate.”
