Six years have passed since the night that shocked the global rap community. In the early hours of February 19, 2020, Pop Smoke — born Bashar Barakah Jackson — was shot during a home invasion at a house he was renting in the Mount Olympus neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was just 20 years old and in the middle of a meteoric rise, fueled by breakout hits like “Dior” and “Welcome to the Party.”

According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), multiple suspects entered the residence at around 4 a.m. Pop Smoke was shot and paramedics rushed him out of the mansion on a stretcher, placing him into an ambulance in critical condition. Footage capturing the moment he was taken away later circulated online, becoming an enduring and painful image for fans over the years. Despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead shortly afterward at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

An investigation was launched immediately. Authorities determined the incident was a home-invasion robbery. Several suspects, including at least one minor, were arrested in the months that followed. Court records later revealed that the group allegedly targeted the home after its location was inadvertently shared on social media. Prosecutors stated that what was initially planned as a burglary escalated into deadly violence.

In 2023, one of the defendants pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery and was sentenced to multiple years in prison. Other suspects also faced serious charges as proceedings continued. Court hearings shed further light on the events of that night, including that the suspects were armed and demanded property from those inside the home. Some testimony indicated that Pop Smoke resisted before he was shot.

His death sent shockwaves throughout the hip-hop industry. Just months later, his debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, was released and quickly debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Executive produced by 50 Cent, the project solidified Pop Smoke’s status as one of the most promising new voices in New York rap at the time.

Six years on, the image of the young rapper being wheeled into an ambulance under flashing lights remains etched in public memory. But beyond that widely shared footage lies a lengthy legal process and complex court proceedings that underscored the serious consequences of gun violence and split-second decisions.

The circumstances surrounding Pop Smoke’s death are no longer a mystery. They were investigated, prosecuted, and addressed through the legal system. Still, for many fans, the sense of loss over a life and career cut short remains profound. Six years later, his music continues to play — a reminder of unrealized potential and the heavy cost of one tragic night in Mount Olympus.