Local rapper's booking agent found shot to death inside vehicle in downtown Louisville after concert

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A local rapper's booking agent was shot and killed just hours after leaving a concert at a popular downtown Louisville venue.

The shooting happened after the EST Gee Summer Jam concert at the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday night.

Louisville Metro Police had a heavy presence there that night. Officers and several other city officials shared warnings Friday about potential danger at the sold out concert.

EST Gee has more than 1 million followers on social media, and the EST in his name stands for "Everybody Shine Together."

In 2021, the FBI and LMPD made a major drug trafficking bust involving members of a Louisville street gang called "Everybody Shine Together." Ten members of the gang were federally indicted and the FBI accused them of terrorizing Louisville's communities.

"I kind of heard about that. The concerns, because they were talking about increased police presence," said Dr. Eddie Woods.

Woods is with No More Red Dots, which works to end gun violence and recidivism.

"We first heard about it and then, I guess falling within minutes, you know, that shooting," Woods said.

A few hours after the concert, 31-year-old DeVontae Beach was found shot to death inside a car on Main Street — just a few blocks away from the concert venue, around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

Beach is listed on social media as the booking agent for the headliner, EST Gee.

"So then we start trying to figure out who was it, whether it was something connected to the event that was going on at that time," said Woods.

WDRB has since learned there was a heavy police presence from 4 p.m. until about midnight outside the KFC Yum! Center on Saturday, including members of the special response team, SWAT, air unit and criminal interdiction unit. In all, at least 80 officers and more than 600 hours of overtime, costing more than $44,000.

"It just sounded an alarm for us, but we knew the police. We felt like the police had it covered," Woods said.

WDRB also obtained a letter from County Attorney Mike O'Connell to the general manager of the KFC Yum! Center, reiterating concerns shared by an LMPD major before the concert.

The letter states, in part, "Major Rhudy has outlined the many things LMPD has done to investigate the potential threat of gun violence at this upcoming performance. Her email to you is straightforward and correct. I do not think the vast majority of citizens of Louisville know anything much about EST/Gee and if they did, I believe they would overwhelmingly support Major Rhudy's request to cancel the concert. I wholeheartedly support Major Rhudy's request as well."

No officials with the KFC Yum! Center wanted to speak on-camera, but said in a statement "Ensuring our staff and guests' safety is paramount, and these additional measures effectively ensured a secure environment for everyone attending the concert."

The concert promoter has agreed to reimburse Louisville Metro Government for the cost of officers' overtime.

LMPD's Homicide Unit is investigating the shooting, but have no suspects and have made no arrests.

Anyone with information in this or any other case is asked to call LMPD's anonymous Crime Tip Line at 502-574-LMPD (5673). Tips can also be submitted anonymously online through the LMPD Crime Tip Portal by clicking here.

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