Photographs of two armed men wanted in the fatal drive-by shooting of Memphis rapper Young Dolph have emerged on social media.
The photos, which were circulating on Twitter and Instagram on Thursday, depict two masked men toting guns in a parking lot outside the South Memphis cookie store where the 36-year-old performer was gunned down Wednesday.
A pair of armed, hooded men can be seen aiming their weapons at an unseen target in the unsettling images – one toting a pistol and the other a submachine gun.
What’s more, in one of the shots, the front of a vehicle belonging to the rapper can be made out.
The unsettling snaps were confirmed to be legitimate by three independent law enforcement sources who spoke to local news outlet FOX 13 on Thursday.
In the photographs, a pair of armed, hooded men can be seen aiming weapons at an unseen target – one toting a submachine gun (left) and the other a pistol (right). The pictured suspects are currently still at large
Rapper Young Dolph, 36, was gunned down Wednesday by multiple unnamed assailants in a drive-by strike
Young Dolph was gunned down Wednesday in a drive-by shooting while inside the shop, Makeda’s Butter Cookies, a local business he frequented in South Memphis around 1pm.
Police are still investigating the motive as to the attack, and no arrests have been made.
In a release issued Wednesday, the Memphis Police Department called the shooting ‘senseless,’ and proclaimed that the department was working bringing those responsible for today’s shooting and others to justice.’
‘Our hearts go out to the Thornton family and all who were affected by this horrific act of violence,’ the statement read.
At the time, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis did not provide press with any details as to potential suspects in the attacks.
‘The shooting is another example of the senseless gun violence we are experiencing locally and nationwide,’ David declared in a conference held in the wake of the highly publicized shooting.
The police chief added that she is deploying extra officers around the city to try and stop reprisals over the rapper’s death.
Images of the crime scene show a large police presence and Young Dolph’s unique camouflage sports car – seen in one of the snaps of his suspected assailants – that he has showed off on social media parked outside the cookie shop. It was pictured being towed away after the fatal shooting
Fans were pictured Wednesday lining up outside the cookie shop and recording videos of the taped-off crime scene as they shared their disbelief that the local rapper was gunned down
Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis announced in a press conference Wednesday night: ‘Tonight we strongly encourage everyone to stay home if you do not have to be out,’ and suggested the police department may enact a curfew
‘Right now, we think that the deployment of our officers in the specific areas that are impacted the most will be enough presence for tonight,’ she said, adding: ‘The Memphis Police Department is providing an increased presence in areas of the city that might be directly impacted by this unfortunate incident.
‘We are committed to working with the community to stop these senseless murders. We are also committed to bringing those responsible for today’s shooting and others to justice.’
Young Dolph’s cousin Mareno Myers told local news outlets that the Memphis-raised rapper had been back in his hometown since Monday visiting an aunt who has cancer and had plans to do charity work and hand out turkeys for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday at a local church Friday before the fatal attack.
‘He was inside [Makeda’s], and somebody just rolled up on him and took his life,’ Myers said.
‘The tragic shooting death of rap artist Young Dolph serves as another reminder of the pain that violent crime brings with it,’ Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said in a statement.
Earlier that week, the rapper performed at a concert at the University of Memphis.
Officers with the Memphis Police Department were at the scene Wednesday as crowds of people gathered to honor the slain rapper
Store owner Maurice Hill told Fox 13 News that the 36-year-old rapper walked into the store to purchase cookies and a vehicle pulled up and fired through the window, striking him.
Images of the crime scene show a large police presence and Young Dolph’s unique camouflage Corvette that he has showed off on social media parked outside the cookie shop.
Fans lined up outside the store recording videos of the taped-off crime scene sharing their disbelief that the local rapper gunned down.
The fatal shooting came one week after he was recorded outside the cookie shop promoting its chocolate chip cookies in a video posted to social media.
‘All I came for is to get some Makeda’s,’ he said in the post.
Originally born in Chicago, Young Dolph grew up in Memphis, where he resided until his untimely death, since he was a toddler.
Raised by his grandmother, the rapper – whose real name was Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr. – tried to help his parents ‘clean their life up’ once he found success.
He released numerous mixtapes, starting with 2008´s ‘Paper Route Campaign,’ and multiple studio albums, including his 2016 debut ‘King of Memphis.’
He also collaborated on other mixtapes and albums with fellow rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, T.I., Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others.
He was featured on OT Genasis’ 2015 hit ‘Cut It’ and known for his hit songs ‘Major’ and ‘On the River.’
Young Dolph had three albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, with 2020´s ‘Rich Slave’ peaking at No. 4.
In his music, Young Dolph rapped about being a drug dealer and life on the streets in Memphis. He considered himself a workaholic and in recent years was focused on growing his business.
‘I’m a CEO first, then an artist,’ he told the writer Gary Suarez in a 2020 interview for Forbes, saying he´d strategically held off on signing with a major label. ‘As long as I keep going up and keep working, my value is going to increase.
‘I know what the streets want to hear, I know what the street’s going through, the lingo, the fashion, everything. It ain´t nothing; it’s my real life,’ he told Suarez at the time.
After his death was confirmed by police, tributes to the rapper began to pour in.
Rapper Gucci Mane tweeted: ‘R.I.P. to my friend Dolph this broke my heart.’
Football legend Deion Sanders remembered the rapper with a video of him celebrating a homecoming win with the Jackson State football team last month.
‘I appreciate you @YoungDolph for blessing us my brother after our homecoming win. Our young men love ya my man.’
Producer Prentice Penny called the loss ‘tragic’.
‘I hate hearing about Young Dolph – it’s so unnecessary and tragic. Especially to be killed at a cookie store that was founded by a wonderful black family who named their store after a daughter they lost to Leukemia. Lets be better yall,’ he tweeted.
However, this was not the rapper’s – whose real name is Adolph Robert Thornton Jr – first time being targeted by shooters yet police have not confirmed whether his death was related to the other shots fired.
He was shot multiple times in September 2017 after a fight outside a Los Angeles hotel.
In February of that year, his SUV was shot at in Charlotte, North Carolina, more than 100 times.
The incident was the inspiration for the song ‘100 Shots.’ He said he survived because he had bulletproof panels in his vehicle, The Commercial Appeal reported.
In his music, Young Dolph rapped about being a drug dealer and life on the streets in Memphis. He recently performed at a concert at the University of Memphis and has performed during the halftime of a Memphis Grizzlies game.
He was admired in Memphis as a torchbearer of the city’s rap legends Three 6 Mafia.
The rising star considered himself a workaholic and in recent years was focused on growing his business. ‘I’m a CEO first, then an artist,’ he told the writer Gary Suarez in a 2020 interview for Forbes, saying he’d strategically held off on signing with a major label.
‘As long as I keep going up and keep working, my value is going to increase.
‘I know what the streets want to hear, I know what the street’s going through, the lingo, the fashion, everything. It ain’t nothing; it’s my real life,’ he told Suarez.