What time was XXXTentacion shot? Revisiting the rapper’s death as fans remember rapper seven years later

XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, was ambushed on June 18, 2018, shortly before 4 p.m., outside a motorsports dealership in Deerfield Beach, Florida. As he was pulling out of the lot, a dark-colored SUV blocked his path.

Two armed individuals exited the vehicle and confronted him, attempting to take his Louis Vuitton bag, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Keyla Concepción, speaking on behalf of the sheriff’s department, confirmed that the rapper was shot during the attempted robbery and did not survive the attack.

Seven years later, fans continued to grieve the death of XXXTentacion, while also wrestling with the complex and sometimes controversial legacy he left behind.

Fans tweeted in his memory, one user on X (formerly Twitter) stated,

"Bro dropped 2 classic albums when he was here. World wasn’t ready"

Another penned via X (formerly Twitter),

"7 yrs ago today we lost a generational artist and pioneer"

---

XXXTentacion fatally shot in a robbery after withdrawing $50,000 from bank

Back in 2018, XXXTentacion was shot several times by one of the attackers, who then ran away with his bag that contained a large amount of cash. The rapper was taken to a local hospital, but medical staff were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead approximately one hour after the shooting.

CBS News reported that the bag held $50,000, which XXXTentacion had withdrawn from a Bank of America branch earlier that day. Testimony from the bank teller revealed that he had originally asked for $250,000, but the branch did not have that much money available.

Justice in motion: How authorities tracked down XXXTentacion’s accused killers

In the weeks following XXXTentacion’s death, four men were indicted for first-degree murder and armed robbery: Dedrick Williams, Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Robert Allen.

Williams, who was arrested within two days of the shooting, also faced charges for driving without a valid license and violating probation for a previous car theft. Boatwright was taken into custody on July 5, 2018, initially on unrelated drug charges. According to CNN, Allen was arrested in Georgia that same month. Newsome turned himself in a few weeks later, in August.

As reported by the Associated Press, Allen eventually accepted a plea agreement, reducing his charge to second-degree murder. During his testimony, he told the court that he and the three others had planned to carry out robberies on the day of the shooting.

According to testimony, the group was in the midst of preparing for a robbery when they unexpectedly encountered XXXTentacion and decided to go after him. Allen testified that he objected, telling the others it wasn’t “a good idea,” but they moved forward with the plan regardless.

Law enforcement identified Newsome and Boatwright as the two men who approached the rapper at the scene. The Associated Press reported that Boatwright was the one who fired the fatal shots.

In April 2023, a judge sentenced Boatwright, Newsome, and Williams to life imprisonment without parole. Allen, who had agreed to testify against them as part of a plea agreement, was sentenced to seven years, with five years credited for time already served and an additional 20 years of probation, according to the Associated Press.

Allen was released in November 2023, according to the records from the Florida Department of Corrections.

Fans circulate powerful XXXTentacion video following his death

Though rarely one to grant traditional interviews, XXXTentacion often turned to his fans directly, using SoundCloud and social media as platforms to share his thoughts. After his death, a video resurfaced from an old Instagram Live session, one that fans widely circulated in the days following the tragedy.

In the undated footage, the rapper reflected on his legacy and what he hoped people would take from his life.

XXXTentacion shared,

“If worse thing comes to worst, and I f—ing die or some s— and I’m not able to see out my dreams, I at least want to know that the kids perceived my message and were able to make something of themselves and able to take my message and use it and turn it into something positive and to at least have a good life."

He further explained,

“If I’m going to die or ever be a sacrifice, I want to make sure that my life made at least five million kids happy or they found some sort of answers or resolve in my life regardless of the negative around my name, regardless of the bad things people say to me."

XXXTentacion wanted his music and life to bring happiness to kids. He had a clear ambition and offered words of encouragement to his fans.

“I don’t give a f— because I know my goal in the end and I know what I want for everyone and I know what my message is. I just wanted to say, I appreciate and love all of you and I believe in you all. Do not let your depression make you. Do not let your body define your soul, let your soul find your body. Your mind is limitless. You are worth more than you can believe. All you have to do is dream and all you have to do is want to fulfill that dream and have the strength.”

XXXTentacion's solo debut record, titled 17, reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in 2017. His second was titled ? and it debuted at No. 1 the next year. Multiple rappers also took to their social media after the rapper's death and expressed their condolences.