DaBaby Walmart shooting video goes viral, casts doubt on rapper's 'self-defense' killing of Jaylin Craig

New footage has emerged casting doubt on DaBaby’s claim of self-defense over fatally shooting a teenager in 2018. The musician was involved in a dangerous physical altercation with 19-year-old Jaylin Craig.

The rapper claimed that he was approached by Craig and another teen in a Charlotte-area Walmart, where the two drew their guns. DaBaby claimed that he shot Craig as his family was in danger. His then-girlfriend Mariah Osborne and two children were present at the scene.

The footage obtained by the Rolling Stone publication has put DaBaby’s self-defense claim into question. DaBaby, whose real name is Jonathan Kirk, was seen throwing fists at Craig’s friend Henry Douglas. The musician managed to split Douglas' forehead open, which later required stitches.

At one point in the footage, Craig appears to pull a gun from his waistband but walks out of the frame. When he returned, he appeared to have put his gun back. Extended footage of the fight showed DaBaby sliding to the ground with a firearm in his right hand. He proceeded to adjust his sweatshirt and went on to fire his gun. The video did not show the victim being shot at, however, DaBaby appeared to be the only person shooting.

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Jaylin Craig's mother grieves for her loss following the shooting by DaBaby

After viewing the newly available footage, Craig’s mother, LaWanda Horsley, expressed shock that the 30-year-old singer could skirt the murder charges and simply land with probation for carrying a hidden weapon. She said:

“I feel like they just swept it up under the rug. [Kirk] knows what he did. I’m not doing this for no fame or anything, because at the end of the day, Jaylin Craig is gone.”

Jaylin Craig was fatally shot in the Walmart altercation (Image via LaWanda Horsely)

The performer has shown no remorse for his actions. He said in a video posted in 2018 that he was defending his family, who were in danger. He said:

“Daughter could have got hit, son could have got hit, me. F**kin' lawyers telling me not to say something and shit, fuck all that. Two n****s walk down on you and your whole motherfucking family, threaten y'all, whip out on y'all, n***a, let me see what y'all gon' do.”

After the singer was sentenced to unsupervised probation along with a suspended 30-day jail sentence, he boasted about his actions several times. Only four days after Craig’s death, the singer released a video for No Tears, which included the lyrics:

“And any n**ga, touch me, catch a body like Boosie. Try me, I’m shootin’. No back and forth, just up it, I’m blowin’.”

The music video included local news footage of the incident.

He also addressed the altercation in his 2020 song Rockstar where he rapped about his daughter witnessing a murder when she was just 2 years old. The lyrics included:

“My daughter a G, she saw me kill a n***a in front of her before the age of two.”

As the singer continues to brag about his actions, Craig’s family is publicly sharing their story in hopes of the singer getting a homicide charge.