Rapper ‘XXXtentacion’ shot dead in suspected Florida robbery

Tributes have been paid to rap artist ‘XXXtentacion,’ who was shot dead during an apparent robbery in Florida on Monday.

The rapper, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was shot by two men in a dark-colored SUV shortly after 4pm, police said. He was leaving a motorcycle dealership in Deerfield Beach in Broward County at the time of the attack.

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“At least one of the suspects fired a gun, striking Onfroy. Both of the suspects fled in a dark-color SUV. Onfroy was transported to Broward Health North where he was pronounced dead,” a police statement read.

The 20-year old rose to unexpected fame after his debut song ‘Look at Me’ went viral on social media and the audio platform SoundCloud in 2016. The song reached number 34 in the Billboard Hot 100 charts. In March, his new album ‘?’ entered the charts at number one, and the single ‘Sad!’ reached number seven in the Hot 100 chart, according to Billboard. Last year, he reportedly won a distribution agreement worth an estimated $6 million, according to Variety.

Broward Sheriff’s Office is hoping to trace the two suspects. Officials are offering a reward of up to $3,000 for any information that leads to an arrest.

Onfroy was due to face trial on domestic violence charges at the time of his death, according to reports. He had been recently released from house arrest while he awaited trial on battery and harassment charges – all of which he denied. The house arrest was lifted in March.

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Rappers Kanye West and Big Sean led tributes to Onfroy on Twitter on Monday night.

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