Police said a suspect fired 12 to 15 shots into a crowd after midnight.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A memorial gathering for rapper Lil Poppa turned violent early Sunday when gunfire erupted at a street corner on the city’s Eastside, wounding four adults, authorities said. Police said two women and two men were struck after a suspect fired a rapid burst of shots and fled.
The shooting came as dozens of people gathered overnight at the intersection of A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Jessie Street to honor the 25-year-old Jacksonville rapper, whose death last week prompted tributes across social media and in his hometown. Investigators said they do not yet have a suspect identified or a public description, leaving family, friends and neighbors waiting for answers as police seek video, witnesses and other leads.
Officers were called to the Eastside intersection just after midnight Sunday, where they found evidence of a fast, concentrated volley of gunfire, police said. Investigators estimated 12 to 15 rounds were fired. One victim, a 34-year-old woman, was located at the scene and taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, according to local reporting that cited police. The other three victims drove themselves to a hospital for treatment. Those victims were a 39-year-old woman and two men, ages 37 and 43, authorities said.
By daylight, the party atmosphere had disappeared, replaced by scattered trash and bottles near the curb as traffic moved through the intersection. Residents who live and worship nearby said the corner is often a late-night meeting place, but they described the violence as jarring even for a city that has wrestled with periodic spikes in shootings. Robert Phelps, who attends the First Baptist Church of Oakland nearby, said he remembered the rapper as a child performing at church and said the news of his death, followed by gunfire at the memorial, hit the community hard. “I hate that he’s gone,” Phelps said.
Police have released few details about what led up to the shooting, including whether the victims were targeted or caught in crossfire. Investigators have not said whether multiple shooters were involved or what kind of firearm was used. Authorities also have not publicly identified the injured people or provided updated conditions, beyond reports that they were treated at hospitals after the shots rang out. The lack of a suspect description has left neighbors urging anyone who was there to share what they saw, particularly as memorial gatherings can draw large groups and create chaotic scenes when violence breaks out.
The gathering was held to remember Janarious Mykel Wheeler, the rapper known as Lil Poppa, who built a following with emotionally direct songs and hometown pride. His label, Collective Music Group, said in a statement after his death that it was “stunned and devastated” and described him as an artist who poured “pain, growth and truth” into his music. Authorities in Georgia have said Wheeler died after a crash and a self-inflicted gunshot in the Atlanta area, a death that reverberated back in Jacksonville, where fans planned vigils and meetups to mourn.
Faith leaders and community members said the memorial shooting added another layer of grief for people already processing the rapper’s death. Bishop Harry Williams of In the Word International Church, located a short distance away, said gatherings meant to remember someone should not end with families running for cover. He called on people who attend parties and play music at events to step in when they see someone carrying a gun and tensions rising. “Put it in the car,” Williams said, urging people to de-escalate before shots are fired and lives are changed.
Investigators said they are asking anyone with information to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as they work to identify the shooter and determine what triggered the gunfire. Detectives typically rely on surveillance video from nearby businesses and traffic cameras, along with cellphone recordings posted online, to map where a shooter stood and how the crowd moved. Authorities have not announced any arrests, and they have not said whether the shooting is connected to any other recent incidents in the city.
The shooting happened during a weekend that included multiple reports of gun violence across the Jacksonville area, according to local news coverage, intensifying pressure on investigators to sort out unrelated cases while also reassuring neighborhoods that extra patrols and community outreach are in place. Residents near the Eastside intersection said the memorial drew people from across the city, and some worried that fear of violence could silence witnesses who might otherwise help solve the case.
As of Monday, police had not publicly named a suspect or released a detailed motive, and they had not said whether they recovered the weapon. The next major milestone is the release of additional investigative details, including possible surveillance images, as detectives continue interviewing witnesses and reviewing video from early Sunday.
Author note: Last updated February 23, 2026.