Julio Foolio dead: Florida rapper killed in Tampa shooting aged 26 whilst out celebrating birthday

Four people were hit with gunfire in a hotel car park early on Sunday (June 23), and one person died. It is believed to be the 26-year-old, pending a medical examination.

The rapper, whose legal name was Charles Jones, was identified in a statement by a law firm that represented him. According to the BBC, the musician was “reportedly ambushed” in the hotel car park, after being asked to leave an Airbnb property when he and his guests exceeded occupancy limits.

The rapper had been sharing content on Instagram about the celebrations, noting that the police had "shut us down." According to the police, two cars were struck during the shooting, which occurred around 9.40am UK time.

Three others were injured and taken to the hospital, where they were reported to be in stable condition. Foolio, who has nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify, is best known for his track "Voo Doo."

In an Instagram post from April, he mentioned that recent months had been "tragic" due to "multiple attempts on my life." Local media reports indicate that he has been transparent about his gang affiliations. Police are asking the public for any information that could assist in their investigation.

Foolio, who boasts over one million Instagram followers, has since received numerous tributes from fans in the comments section. One said: “It’s so crazy how u view peoples stories they posted within the past 24 hours and then realize u will never see them post again… rip.”

Another wrote: “RIP young man. Please my people let’s stop the senseless killings!!”. Entertainment outlet VladTV wrote: “RIP lil homie. Gone too soon.”