The Atlanta artist, who is known for his 2015 hit single 'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)', is accused of shooting and killing his cousin Frederick Rooks last month.
- February 2, 2021
AceShowbiz - Silento has become the latest hip-hop artist to have a run-in with the law for a crime related to gun violence. The rapper, who is best known for his debut single and viral craze "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)", was arrested Monday afternoon, February 1 in DeKalb County on murder charges in the death of his cousin.
The 23-year-old artist, whose real name is Richard Lamar "Ricky" Hawk, is accused of shooting and killing his cousin, 34-year-old Frederick Rooks, last month. On January 21, police responded to a shooting at the intersection of Deep Shoals Circle and Corners Xing around 3:30 A.M. and found Frederick in the middle of the street with multiple gunshot wounds to the face and leg. The incident report says the victim was bleeding severely and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The call to law enforcement was made by a third party, who received a call from their daughter, who lives on Deep Shoals Circle as well. The person who called, a man, told police his daughter heard several gunshots and saw a body laying in the street.
Officers found at least eight bullet casings around the victim. They searched for the culprit by looking into ring camera video from neighbors, which caught several cars leaving the scene. Following investigation, investigators later connected the shooting to Hawk and arrested him Monday.
"Today, Ricky Hawk, 23, was arrested for the murder of his cousin Frederick Rooks, 34," the DeKalb County Police Department tweeted on Monday afternoon. "On January 21, the DeKalb County Police Department investigated Rooks' death after he was found shot on Deep Shoals Circle. Hawk is in the DeKalb County Jail charged with Murder. #WeAreDKPD."
The motive is yet to be determined. Silento is currently booked in the DeKalb County Jail.
This isn't Silento's first legal trouble. Back in August 2020, he was arrested following a domestic disturbance. After being charged with inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, he was released.
The following day, he was arrested in Valley Village, Los Angeles after walking into a random home wielding a hatchet while looking for his girlfriend. He received a bond for $105,000, which was later revoked due to him missing his scheduled court appearance. A bench warrant was issued for the Stone Mountain, Georgia native's arrest.
Silento was arrested again on October 23, 2020 for driving over 140 MPH in Atlanta. booked on charges of speeding, reckless driving, driving on roadways lane for traffic and parking in a prohibited space after police determined he was driving 143 mph on Interstate 85. He was released on is own recognizance the same day.
