The random shooting of Texas rapper G$ Lil Ronnie real name Ronnie Smith and his 5-year-old son, R’Mani, shocked the community. The shooting occurred in the afternoon of March 3, 2025, at Slappy’s Express Car Wash in Forest Hill, Texas. Surveillance footage captures the horrific moment when the two armed perpetrators emerged out of a white Kia and began shooting, leading to a senseless loss.

Law enforcement authorities report the attack happened at approximately 10:49 a.m., just a day after R’Mani turned five years old. Surveillance footage at the car wash shows Lil Ronnie fleeing through the parking lot, seemingly attempting to flee his attackers or divert their attention from his daughter, still inside the vehicle. Unfortunately, him and R’Mani were both killed in the ambush.

Witnesses described a gruesome and chaotic scene when the shooting occurred. The emergency response team acted swiftly only to discover the victims dead at the scene. The culprits made their escape in the same white Kia vehicle in which they arrived, leaving behind a shattered community as well as a devastated family.

In the wake of the tragedy, Lil Ronnie’s long-time boyfriend and R’Mani’s mother, Shamon Jones, made a public statement of her immense grief. Jones, pleading to be left alone, spoke of her heartbreak, saying.

I can’t believe my baby and her daddy are gone. This pain is unbearable.

Jones also believed the perpetrators may have known the child R’Mani was in the vehicle when the attack was launched, which fueled the speculation surrounding the motive for the attack. Law enforcement officials have made no confirmation, however, of the suspects having knowledge of the child.

The community has been flooded with an outpouring of support for the tragic loss. Friends, fans, and other artists have taken to social media to remember Lil Ronnie and his child. There have been candlelight vigils in their remembrance, with many people remembering Smith as a loving dad and talented artist whose life was cut short.

The authorities have progressed considerably in the investigation since. Adonis Robinson and Jakobie Russell have been charged with capital murder in the killings. Robinson, a sex offender, was arrested in Livingston, Texas, while Russell turned himself in to the authorities.

The authorities have been unable to determine the exact motivation for the attack. Officials are investigating whether the attack may be related to prior conflicts or other personal grievances. “We’re working hard to learn the entire story behind this act of brutality,” Forest Hill Police Chief Michael Carter said in a statement.