Chicago, IL — A prominent figure in the city’s drill rap scene, 35-year-old Devonsha Collier, known by the stage name “THF Bayzoo,” was shot dead over the weekend in Little Village, leaving a community grappling with grief and violence. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. Saturday in the 3100 block of South St. Louis Avenue, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Two other individuals aged 39 and 42 sustained injuries in the shooting. Collier was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Mount Sinai Hospital early Sunday. As of Monday, authorities reported no arrests in connection with the incident.
Videos purported to show the shooting swiftly surfaced on social media platforms frequented by drill rap enthusiasts. The footage depicts two assailants approaching Collier and two others before opening fire at close range.
Collier’s life had been marred by legal troubles, including a notable murder charge in 2014. He was arrested at the residence of fellow rapper Lil Durk—born Durk Banks—stemming from an alleged involvement in the shooting death of 21-year-old Dominic Barnes during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. During his initial court proceedings, prosecutors claimed that Collier confronted Barnes about gang affiliations before fatally shooting him, citing eyewitness accounts. However, a jury ultimately acquitted Collier in December 2017.
In the intervening years, Collier faced additional legal issues, notably two felony gun cases. Court records indicate that charges were dropped in one case, while he was found not guilty in the other.
Collier’s death marks a tragic continuation of violence surrounding those connected to Banks. Over the last decade, at least three associates of Lil Durk have been killed, intensifying concerns about ongoing conflicts within the drill rap community. In 2015, Banks’ former manager, Uchenna Agina, was shot outside a restaurant in Avalon Park, and in 2020, King Von—a rising star and protégé of Lil Durk—was killed in Atlanta. The following year saw the murder of Lil Durk’s brother outside a nightclub in Harvey.
The deadly trajectory of violence within this circle has garnered the attention of federal authorities, especially regarding the killing of King Von. Allegations surfaced that Lil Durk financially supported a murder-for-hire scheme as retaliation for Von’s death. Currently detained in federal custody in Los Angeles, Lil Durk is awaiting trial, set to begin in 2026.
As the drill rap community mourns Collier’s loss, the ongoing cycle of violence raises pressing questions about the safety and future of artists entrenched in this genre. Without a clear resolution to the conflicts plaguing the scene, the need for intervention and dialogue remains critical in addressing the broader implications of gun violence in Chicago.