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21 Savage is mourning the loss of a child whom he loved like a nephew.
In a post he shared on his Instagram Story Thursday, July 23, the Atlanta rapper posted a photo of a young Seven Shirley after learning the 14-year-old committed suicide. According to 11Alive, Shirley took his own life after he accidentally shot his younger sister, Lyric, in the neck last Wednesday. The girl survived the shooting and underwent several surgeries on her neck and vocal cords. However, Shirley's grandmother, Sharon Smith, believes that her grandson "couldn't take it."
"Remember when you was a baby," Savage wrote with multiple broken heart emojis.
"Just that fast that boy had made the decision to kill himself," Smith said. "He probably sat up there and thought, 'I'm finna go to jail, they're going to ridicule me, everybody is going to be doing this and that and this, and this and that, and he couldn't take it.'"
In the wake of Shirley's death, the family has faced questions about how the teen obtained the gun. Shirley's grandmother said the teen's friends told her that he bought the gun off the street for $200. Smith is calling for legal action to be taken against the person who sold her grandson the gun.
"Something needs to be done about that person who sold that gun because if he would have never bought that gun, this would have never happened," she said.
Watch the report about what happened to 21 Savage's late nephew and see the family's full statement below.
"As we prepare for the homegoing celebration for my beloved nephew, Seven, I respectfully ask everyone to please honor our family's privacy during this incredibly difficult time. Please continue to keep my niece, Lyric, in your prayers. She is fighting for her life, and we are believing God for her healing, strength, and complete recovery. As our family grieves, we are asking our community to stand with us in another way. Please help us get these guns off our streets."
"Far too many young lives are being taken by senseless gun violence. We must work together to stop the illegal sale and access of firearms to minors and do everything we can to protect our children. Our family has lost one child, and another is fighting for her life. No family should ever have to experience this kind of pain. We ask that you continue to pray for our entire family, respect our privacy as we navigate the days ahead, and join us in the fight to make our communities safer for all of our children."