CHICAGO, July 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chicago rapper KTS Dre was fatally shot over the weekend after reportedly being ambushed by multiple gunmen following his release from the Cook County Jail.
The shooting occurred on Saturday and 31-year-old KTS Dre (born Londre Sylvester) suffered as many as 64 bullet wounds to his head and other parts of his body, police said.
The rising hip-hop artist had just been released from jail and was walking to a vehicle when several suspects “exited two separate vehicles and all began to shoot in Sylvester’s direction, striking him numerous times,” the police report said.
KTS Dre was one of at least 40 people who was shot in the city over the weekend; 10 of the victims died from their injuries. Police believe the local rap star was targeted. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 60-year-old woman who was walking with him at the time of the attack took a bullet to the knee. She is reportedly listed in good condition at Stroger Hospital. A 30-year-old woman who was walking by as shots rang out suffered a graze wound to her mouth, and is also listed in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, per the report.
KTS Dre was out on bail for charges related to an April 2020 arrest for being a felon in possession of a weapon and resisting police. He posted the required $5,000 of a $50,000 bail and was fitted with an ankle monitor before he was killed. According to CWB Chicago, KTS stands for “Kill To Survive.”
Police identified KTS Dre as a member of the Lakeside faction of the Gangster Disciple, one of the most notorious street gangs in America, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
His brother and fellow rapper KTS Von also died from gun violence in 2015.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city is “very focused” on what happened to rapper KTS Dre.”Detectives are actively work identifying suspects and hopefully we’ll have an arrest soon,” Mayor Lightfoot said during an unrelated press conference.
Steven D. Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, commented on the indictment of suspected leaders of KTS Dre’s gang in January. “These charges target national and state leaders of one of the most notorious street gangs in America,” he said at the time.“The lawlessness these gangs bring to our cities is terribly destructive and oftentimes difficult to prosecute.”
According to Chicago Sun Times, Londre Sylvester, who goes by the stage name KTS Dre and Kutthroat Dreko, was making his way out of the Cook County Jail when the fatal shooting occurred. His bail had been posted by his fiancée the day before his release. It is unknown why he was not released the day his fiancée posted his bail and how his killers got to know he would be let go around the time. — NNN-AGENCIES
