Fatal shooting victim identified as Milwaukee rapper after double shooting near 27th and Atkinson

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A Milwaukee rapper was shot and killed Thursday afternoon, July 9, in a drive-by shooting on the city's north side. Another person was shot and injured.

The shooters' vehicle drove away. Milwaukee police are still looking for suspects.

The victim's friends and family identified the man as a 27-year-old rapper who went by the name TrapBaby Reno. He was sitting in an SUV when he was shot and killed.

Family members said he was on his way to his daughter's fourth birthday party.

A man named Yae, who said he is TrapBaby Reno's cousin, told CBS 58, "He FaceTimed me today. It's his daughter's birthday party. We were supposed to be going there."

It was just after 2 p.m. outside a convenience store near 27th Street and Atkinson Avenue.

A friend, Reno Bandy, told CBS 58, "I lost a friend that I grew up with. Something like a family member."

Two men were sitting inside an SUV when a white Lexus drove by. Surveillance video shows guns pointed out of both the front and rear passenger windows.

Yae said, "That's my cousin. We've been together since the sandbox."

The SUV was riddled with bullets, and a window was shot out.

A 22-year-old man was able to get away with non-life-threatening injuries.

But 27-year-old TrapBaby Reno fell to the sidewalk, motionless.

Bandy described him as "loving, caring. He was always around us. He was always there."

First responders arrived moments later and performed CPR, but TrapBaby Reno did not survive.

Yae said he had a "good personality. Always looked out for the people who are around."

Bandy thinks TrapBaby Reno was targeted because of his success.

"People don't want to see the next person make it out of here," he said.

TrapBaby Reno's death is the latest in a string of homicides.

"Terrible. We see this every day. Milwaukee is getting worse and worse," Bandy said.

Community activist Vince Toney told CBS 58 this area has been a problem for years.

"Bullets are flying constantly in the city, and there doesn't seem to be an answer," Toney said.

Last October, two people were shot and killed at the same location.

Toney said another fatal shooting was bound to happen. He said neighbors used to care about stopping violence, but now they feel the city ignores them.

"People don't feel as though they have any type of help in this area over here," Toney said. "So why even say anything?"

Toney said they've been forced to stop community-led block watches.

"We can't do that anymore because I'm not going to put anybody's children in harm's way with the potential of a bullet being shot over there, somebody getting killed," Toney said.

Bandy said that fear keeps people from living freely in their own neighborhoods.

"You really have to be on defense. It's not an easy game out here. If you're in these streets, you really have to watch your back," he said.

The other person who was shot was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

So far, Milwaukee police have not identified any suspects.