Lil OT, born Omer Niaz Muhammad, was shot and killed Monday night (Feb. 9) in Burlington, Ontario, cutting short the rise of a young voice in Canada’s independent rap scene. He was 24.

Halton Regional Police confirmed the fatal shooting occurred around 10:10 p.m. in the parking lot outside Kelsey’s restaurant at Burlington Centre. Emergency responders transported the rapper to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities believe the attack was deliberate.

“We do believe this was a targeted incident and we do not believe there is any known risk to public safety,” Constable Jeff Dillon said during a Tuesday morning press conference.

Investigators are searching for two suspects who fled in a white SUV. Police have not released descriptions. Detectives are examining potential links between Muhammad and the suspects. They are also reviewing whether the homicide connects to prior shootings in the Halton region.

Lil OT had been building momentum since 2023. He released two albums and grew a following of more than 27,000 on Instagram. His music carried the weight of lived experience.

RIP Lil OT

In 2023, he survived a drive-by shooting at his family’s Hamilton home, according to The Hamilton Spectator. That earlier incident underscored the volatility surrounding young rap artists navigating public visibility.

Police urged witnesses to come forward with video footage or information. Dillon addressed the broader danger posed by gunfire in a public space.

“Unfortunately one young man lost his life,” he said. “When you are in a wide open parking lot like this and a gun is fired, it was lucky that nobody else was struck. It shows a rampant disregard for anyone else who may have been here.”The killing marks Burlington’s first homicide of the year. Shock rippled through the community. “You hear about these things in the bigger cities, but you are not expecting it to happen in your community,” one mall patron said.

On Instagram, grief surfaced quickly. “Rest in peace, brother,” one commenter wrote.

Lil OT’s career was still unfolding. Now, his city mourns what could have been.