Memphis police issue arrest warrant for suspect in Young Dolph fatal shooting

By Amir Vera, Chris Boyette and Jessica Jordan, CNN

The Memphis Police Department issued a warrant for the suspect in the fatal shooting of rapper Young Dolph, according to the US Marshals Service.

The rapper, whose real name is Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr., was fatally shot November 17, 2021, at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis. The 36-year-old rapper is survived by two children.

The suspect in his death has been identified as Justin Johnson, 23, who is wanted on first-degree murder. The US Marshals Service, Memphis Police Department, Crime Stoppers and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to Johnson’s capture.

Johnson is about 5-feet-8-inches tall and weighs 190 pounds, the Marshals Service said.

“He has the name ‘Jaiya’ tattooed on his right arm,” the Marshals Service said. “Johnson has ties to organized criminal gangs and should be considered armed and dangerous.”

Johnson has been added to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s “Most Wanted” list, according to the Marshals Service.

Memphis police previously released surveillance photos from the day of the shooting that showed two suspects getting out of a white two-door Mercedes-Benz armed with firearms and approaching Young Dolph as he was inside the cookie store. The suspects, whose faces were partially covered, shot the rapper several times before fleeing the scene, police said.

The police department tweeted the photos, noting that no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.

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CNN’s Aya Elamroussi contributed to this report.