The music industry was hit with a devastating blow on Sunday morning when Florida-based rapper Julio Foolio, whose real name is Charles Jones, was fatally shot in a Tampa hotel parking lot. The incident occurred around 4:40 a.m. at the Holiday Inn located at Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive, according to Tampa police. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
Joneé Lewis, a public information officer, provided initial details about the incident. She stated that two vehicles were targeted in the shooting. Jones, 26, was declared dead at the scene, but official identification is still pending confirmation from the medical examiner. Three other individuals were injured in the shooting and were subsequently transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Authorities are of the belief that the victims were in the process of securing a hotel room when the shooting took place. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Officers are currently reviewing surveillance footage to gather more information about the incident and are assisting hotel guests in navigating the scene.
While the police have not officially confirmed the connection, it has been revealed that Charles Jones is the legal name of Julio Foolio. The news of Jones’ death was privately shared on Instagram by his girlfriend, Blanco Mani. She mentioned that Jones had been celebrating his birthday in Tampa and also posted a picture of him from the evening.
Jones’ lawyer also issued a statement expressing profound sorrow over his passing and confirmed that Jones had been in Tampa to celebrate his birthday. The Tampa police are urging anyone with information related to the shooting to come forward.