Who is Rylo Huncho? Teen Rapper Accidentally Kills Himself on Social Media

Family, friends and fans are grieving after a 17-year-old rapper died tragically in Virginia on Wednesday after he accidentally shot himself while filming a video on social media.

The Suffolk Police Department confirmed to Newsweek that a 17-year-old died at 10:11 p.m. on Wednesday from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound” that may have been “accidental.”

The teenager died at a local hospital. Police did not identify the victim, as the incident remains under investigation.

But family and friends have identified the victim as Suffolk-based rapper Rylo Huncho.

The video circulating on social media shows the moments before his death when Huncho was singing and dancing while holding a pistol with a green laser light.

In the video, it appears Huncho switches off the weapon’s safety and points it at his head. A gunshot can be heard, then he falls from the impact and the camera drops.

Who is Rylo Huncho?

A GoFundMe set up for the rapper’s single mother by Huncho’s cousin confirmed the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

“Suicide/accidental was the cause of his death we are still trying to figure out why. But anything I mean anything can help her at this time of need,” his cousin said. “It was always her and her son.”

Huncho had 10 songs and 680 monthly listeners on Spotify. He posted a screenshot from when he only had 164 monthly listeners on Spotify in March. He said he was going to “trust [the] process” in the caption of the post.

Some of his songs included “Money Getta,” “Bag Talk” and “La la la.” He often posted about his music on social media, including behind-the-scenes videos of him making the songs. The artist had over 28,700 followers on Instagram and 1,382 followers on TikTok.

Other videos posted by the teenager featured alcohol and marijuana.

His most recent song was released on May 12, just days before his tragic death.

How Many Teens Die From Accidental Shootings?

Approximately 76 teenagers die from unintentional gunshot wounds each year, GIFFORDS Law Center’s Research Director Kelly Drane told Newsweek.

Around 40% of these incidents are self-inflicted.

Drane said an important thing to remember about these “accidents” is that they can be prevented.

“These are unintentional shootings that no one’s intending to cause harm, but they are preventable if we engage in the right behaviors and also put the right policies in place,” Drane said.

Drane stressed the importance of safe gun ownership to prevent teenagers from gaining access.

“I think it’s really critical that parents are taking steps to make sure that their guns are not accessible to their kids,” Drane said. “And so that means making sure the gun is locked and locked away in such a way that the kid can’t get access.”

She said storing the ammunition for the gun in a different place than the gun can also help reduce unintentional shootings.

There are several different motivations that draw teenagers to take an interest in gun use, according to Drane. Some teenagers are drawn to guns for social reasons.

“Having a gun allows teenagers to sort of show off to their friends in some cases,” Drane said. “To engage in these behaviors that might make them seem, to their peer group, cool or otherwise more mature than they are.”