DaBaby claimed he was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed a teenager at a North Carolina Walmart in 2018. Now, new video footage has emerged that challenges that claim.
Listen to DaBaby Radio, now on Audacy
Rolling Stone published an extensive report of the incident featuring a previously unreleased video clip that casts doubt on DaBaby’s claim of self-defense.
In 2018, DaBaby shot and killed 19-year-old Jaylin Craig after an altercation at Walmart. DaBaby, real name Jonathan Kirk, claimed that he was confronted by two young men who had allegedly threatened him and whipped out a firearm while he was shopping with his then-partner and children.
The Rolling Stone report includes testimony from DaBaby recorded after the incident where he says Craig and his friend Henry Douglas were threatening his family. “They’re trying to get me to provoke them so they could pull a gun out,” he said.
In the newly published clip, Kirk is seen charging at Douglas as he attempts to tackle him to the ground. Craig is off to the side and appears to pull out a gun, although it is unclear if he ever put it away. Kirk then pulls out his gun, fires a shot, and walks away.
Related
Kirk was never charged over Craig’s death, but the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office pursued a misdemeanor charge for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. The case was ultimately dismissed in March 2019 after a key witness failed to show up in court.
Todd Owens, a defense lawyer and former North Carolina district court judge, told Rolling Stone that the events in the video weaken Kirk's claim that he was in danger. "Going up and pushing a person who is brandishing a firearm, or who she can see has a firearm is really, really risky business," Owens said. "That completely undermines that legal theory."
A representative for the district attorney’s office provided a statement to the outlet on why Kirk didn’t face more serious charges. The representative noted that the office “reviewed the police investigative file and agreed with the Huntersville Police Department’s decision not to charge Mr. Kirk further, as prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense.”
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign up and follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram