Jermaine Dupri Calls For Tougher Policing After 7-Year-Old Shot Near ATL Mall

BY Erika Marie 6.5K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Jessica McGowan / Stringer / Getty Images
Jermaine Dupri, Atlanta, Phipps Plaza, Shootings, Lennox Mall
Kennedy Maxie was reportedly hit by a stray bullet while in a car with her mom and aunt.

A tragedy has befallen an Atlanta family after a seven-year-old was shot while holiday shopping with her famiyl. According to reports, little Kennedy Maxie was in a vehicle with her mother and aunt as they were riding past Phipps Plaza when she was struck in the back of the head by a stray bullet. Initially, no one knew that the child had been injured, but once they were alerted that there was a problem, the mom-aunt duo immediately called authorities while simultaneously rushing Kennedy to the hospital.

A $15,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrests of the person or persons responsible for Kennedy's injuries. "Once again we're addressing a situation of a senseless shooting that we believe arose from individuals unable to resolve a situation civilly," said interim Police Chief Rodney Bryant.

Jermaine Dupri was raised in the ATL and not only advocates for his city but helped but Atlanta on the musical map. The So So Def mogul voiced his frustrations with the violence occurring in his city and he called for residents to unite for the good of their thriving community. "If you really from the A,it’s time for us to come together and stop all this shooting sh*t at Lenox and now Phipps," tweeted Dupri. "The police need to get tougher,the profiling needs to go to code red and I can give a f*ck about y’all getting mad about me saying this,lil kids getting shot is wack."

While there has been heavy criticism of police departments and institutions this year, Dupri hopes that the Atlanta PD will crack down on these shooters. Watch a news segment about Kennedy's shooting below.

[via]


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

Comments 3
Page was generated in 0.27918100357056