On April 20, 2016, 28-year-old Jerome Blake, an aspiring rapper known as Blizzy, was shot and killed at the Headquarters Recording Studio on Metropolitan Parkway in southwest Atlanta during what had been arranged as a recording session. Blake was at the studio for the first time and was not the intended target of the robbery that turned deadly.

Prosecutors say four men entered the studio intending to rob a man named Caleb Sims. One entrant, Casey Battle, arranged a fake session to gain access. The plan was reportedly instigated by another rapper, Kenson Hunte, known as Rich Show, who sought to recover a stolen necklace and a large sum of money. A shootout erupted during the attempted robbery; an unidentified man shot Blake in the face, killing him at the scene, while Sims returned fire and killed one of the gunmen, Nathan Hannon.

Several people were later arrested. Casey Battle was convicted of murder in 2018 and sentenced to life plus five years; Sheldon Dooley was convicted on 14 counts, including felony murder, and received two life terms plus 45 years. Kenson Hunte has been charged but had not yet gone to trial as of the last update. Blake’s family has attended the proceedings seeking justice.

Did anyone know Jerome Blake or have information about who was inside the studio that day?