Lil Poppa reportedly got into a car crash right before taking his own life in Georgia earlier this week.
On Thursday (Feb. 19), TMZ reported that the Hapeville Police Department revealed the Jacksonville, Fla., native was involved in a single-car crash on Interstate 85 in Hapeville, Ga., on Wednesday morning (Feb. 18). Police told the celebrity news site that the car was still drivable and Poppa called his manager for advice on what to do.
The manager says they met in a nearby hotel parking lot, where Poppa stayed in his car and talked to the manager through the open car window. At some point, Poppa pulled out a firearm and shot himself dead. An off-duty officer who was working at the hotel called 911, who arrived and transported Poppa to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Poppa, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
XXL has reached out to the Hapeville Police Department and Lil Poppa’s camp for comment.
On Thursday, Lil Poppa’s label CMG released a statement about his death.
“We are stunned and devastated by the loss of our beloved family member Janarious “Lil Poppa” Wheeler,” it reads. “Poppa was more than just a talented artist —he was an ambitious young man with depth beyond his years and endless potential. Our love for him knew no bounds.”
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or contemplating self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or visit Speakingofsuicide.com
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