The son of Los Angeles gang figure and music executive Eugene “Big U” Henley Jr. was shot and killed late Friday night outside a smoke shop in South Los Angeles.
Jabari “Baby Uiie” Henley, 34, was standing near the corner of 69th Street and Figueroa Street around 11 p.m. when gunfire erupted, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. TMZ reports Henley had approached a vehicle when one or more suspects opened fire.
The shooter fled the scene and remains at large as of Sunday. First responders attempted to save Henley’s life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Video obtained by TMZ showed authorities covering his body with a tarp shortly after the incident.
Henley was the son of Eugene Henley Jr., the former leader of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips and a figure known in the music world as the “godfather” of West Coast rap. He was also the older brother of Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley.
Earlier this year, the elder Henley turned himself in to federal agents after being indicted in March on racketeering charges. Federal prosecutors allege he led a “Mafia-like” criminal organization involved in murder, human trafficking, robbery, and extortion across Los Angeles.
Henley Jr., 58, was named the primary target in a sweeping 43-count federal indictment brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors claim he embezzled funds from his nonprofit, “Big U Enterprise,” and engaged in a wide range of criminal activity.
“As the indictment alleges, Mr. Henley led a criminal enterprise whose conduct ranged from murder to sophisticated fraud that included stealing from taxpayers and a charity,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said in March. “Eradicating gangs and organized crime is the Department of Justice’s top priority. Today’s charges against the leadership of this criminal outfit will make our neighborhoods in Los Angeles safer.”
Authorities have also linked Henley Jr. to the 2021 killing of aspiring rapper Rayshawn Williams, who was signed to Henley’s Uneek Music label. Williams was allegedly shot after releasing a song critical of the music mogul. Prosecutors claim Henley Jr. transported the victim’s body to Las Vegas and abandoned it along Interstate 15.
Another figure named in the federal case, music producer Termaine “Luce Cannon” Williams, is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. Williams reportedly broke the news of Jabari Henley’s death to Henley Jr., telling TMZ that both men were devastated by the killing and that Henley likely knew his attacker.
The LAPD has not confirmed whether the shooting was gang-related, and the investigation remains ongoing.