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Dancing Dolls for Life (DDFL) member Shakira Gatlin has passed away. Her mother Erica Robinson confirmed the death in a social media post on February 3. According to the Facebook upload, the 18-year-old was reportedly shot. Robinson wrote:
The mother shared a picture of Gatlin along with her late father. The two appeared to be standing next to each other in matching red t-shirts.
Jackson police officials confirmed that Gatlin was shot at Barnes Street in Jackson. The incident took place at 8:40 pm on Thursday.
Who is Shakira Gatlin?
The youngster has been part of DDFL since 2015. She was recently promoted to be the head co-captain and drill master of her group. DDFL is a dance-based company which specializes in hip hop dancing among various other forms. The company is best known for its videos online. Their website reads:
“Dollhouse Dance Factory promotes high self-esteem, determination, persistence, high academic achievement, community involvement, and the importance of health in young women through the art of dance.”
The company’s Facebook page has amassed over 419k followers. They also have a reality show based on the dance studio. The dance-based show Bring It! was released in 2014.
According to Robinson’s social media upload, Shakira Gatlin’s father died in September. The circumstances behind his death remain unknown.
Friends of Shakira Gatlin have since taken to social media to pay tribute to the late dancer. Several comments stating “RIP” have been uploaded on Facebook. One comment online read:
“My deepest condolences to you and your family! Your ATL DOLL family is sending nothing but love your way! Again I’m so sorry this happened your precious baby!!! This hurts me.”
Another comment read:
“I can’t imagine your pain. I am so sorry for your loss and I’m praying for you and your family.”
Who killed the DDFL dancer?
Sharon Grisham Stewart, the Hinds County Coroner, stated that Shakira Gatlin was shot while a loaded gun was being mishandled in the presence of the teenager.
A juvenile male has since been questioned in reference to Gatline’s death. WLBT reported that he told authorities that it was an accidental shooting.
This is not the first time someone has been shot in the locality. Gatlin’s shooting took place near Zoe’s Restaurant. Two people have been previously shot, with one person killed near the locality.
