Florida rapper Julio Foolio was fatally shot early Sunday morning at a Tampa Holiday Inn, as reported by multiple sources.
According to Tampa police, the shooting occurred around 4:40 a.m. in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn located at Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive.
Nearby, at the Home Suites by Hilton, evidence of the shooting was visible, with bullet holes and a boarded-up window. Witnesses indicated that the incident started there.
“Investigators have determined that two cars were targeted in the shooting,” said Joneé Lewis, public information officer for the Tampa Police Department.
One person initially believed to be 26-year-old Charles Jones, was pronounced dead at the scene. However, the medical examiner has yet to confirm the identity. Three others sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to local hospitals. Their injuries were reported as non-life-threatening.
“It appears they were attempting to secure a hotel room at the time of the shooting,” Lewis stated.
Police are currently reviewing surveillance footage to gather more information about the incident. Meanwhile, no arrests have been made, and authorities are seeking additional video footage to help identify any potential suspects.
Charles Jones, identified by police as the deceased, is also known as Julio Foolio, a 26-year-old rapper. His girlfriend, Blanco Mani, shared news of his death on Instagram, though her account is now private. She mentioned that he passed away after celebrating his birthday in Tampa, sharing a photo from that night.
Earlier, Julio Foolio had posted on his Instagram story about celebrating his birthday with a pool party at a Tampa AirBnB before being asked by police to relocate.