How did Pop Smoke die? Former NYPD chief says that they were trying to build a case against Rapper over alleged gang connections

Pop Smoke, a.k.a. Bashar Jackson, was reportedly at the center of an active gang investigation before his death, according to retired NYPD police chief John Chell. Speaking on the November 27 episode of The John Rondi Show, Chell said he was “personally involved” in a probe into the rapper.

“And now the case, I was personally involved in…Pop Smoke, who lived in Canarsie, Brooklyn. He was down with the…G-Stone Crips, I believe…He’s the up and coming star, if you will. and we were into that gang and he was part of it, but we didn’t have much on Pop,” he explained.

According to Chell, investigators made their biggest breakthrough in 2019, when Pop Smoke allegedly transported a stolen Rolls-Royce Wraith from California to Canarsie. He explained that detectives used the stolen vehicle case as “leverage” to build a broader gang investigation.

However, Chell added that before the NYPD could move forward with the larger operation, Pop Smoke tragically died. The rapper was shot and killed on February 19, 2020, in Los Angeles. He was only 20 years old at the time.

Reflecting on the moment they received the news, Chell explained:

“So, as we were cultivating this whole gang case, I believe he got murdered in a home invasion in LA. Um, yeah, that was Pop,” the retired police chief said.

Chell also spoke about the rapper’s legacy in his old neighborhood. He said Smoke had a “distinct sound” and left a lasting cultural impact in Canarsie. According to Chell, the community continued to honor him with an annual “Pop Smoke Day.”

“He…had some voice…very distinct sound…So years after that, there was always a Pop Smoke day in Canarsie. We had to put a lot of cops there because a lot of gang members showed up,” he added.

What else do we know about Pop Smoke’s death and the later investigations related to his case?

In the immediate aftermath of Pop Smoke’s death on February 19, 2020, the Los Angeles Police Department declined to identify him by name as the victim of the early-morning shooting. However, NPR confirmed his death through his record label, Republic Records.

During a press conference that morning, LAPD Captain Steve Lurie explained that officers responded to a 4:55 a.m. call about a reported break-in at a Hollywood Hills residence. Lurie said police arrived to find a shooting victim along with several witnesses. The victim was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead (as per NPR)

Months later, on July 9, 2020, the LAPD announced the arrest of five people connected to the case.

Four days later, prosecutors filed charges against four of them: Corey Walker, 19; Keandre Rodgers, 18; and two unnamed minors.

As per the New York Daily News report dated May 7, 2021, nearly a year after the murder, new details surfaced during a preliminary hearing. Detective Carlos Camacho testified that the fatal shot was fired by the youngest suspect, a 15-year-old who, along with several other teens, allegedly targeted Pop Smoke to steal his diamond Rolex and Cuban-link chain.

Camacho said the boys entered the rental property in search of jewelry but ultimately fled with only Smoke’s Rolex, which they later sold for just $2,000.

According to his testimony, the accused shooter admitted that he and the others confronted Jackson over the jewelry, leading to a fight before the teen “shot him three times,” claiming he fired “on the back.”

The New York Daily News also reported that Corey Walker had copped to his role in Smoke’s death during a surreptitiously recorded conversation with a police informant who was there in his jail cell.

During his 2025 sentence hearing, Corey Walker addressed the court and gave a “sincere apology.”

“Even though the Jackson family isn’t here in court today, I would like to sincerely apologize for my unforgivable actions, although there’s no apology that amounts to the taking of someone’s life,” Walker said. (As per Rolling Stone)

He further added:

“I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to my family for the pain and embarrassment that they have endured over the last five years, as well as an apology to my community."

As per the Rolling Stone report dated February 21, 2025, as the only adult charged in Pop Smoke’s murder, Corey Walker pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and two counts of home invasion robbery. He received a 29-year prison sentence.

Other defendants, including the 15-year-old shooter, were convicted under separate circumstances.

Edited by Shayari Roy