Police on Tuesday arrested a woman accused of making a false 911 call before last week’s death of Atlanta rapper Young Scooter, whose death has been ruled accidental in a newly released autopsy.
The Atlanta Police Department said Demetria Spence, 31, was charged Tuesday with transmitting a false public alarm. The false call was allegedly made to authorities before the March 28 death of Kenneth Bailey, also known by his stage name of Young Scooter, a Southern rap figure who has collaborated with Future.
Police said Spence had been wanted for allegedly making a false 911 call about an injured person just prior to Bailey’s death, which took place outside a house about 5 miles south of downtown Atlanta.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office said an autopsy revealed Bailey died after suffering “a penetrating injury” to his right thigh after jumping at least one fence and coming into contact with “fencing material and/or woody debris” outside the home on Friday.
Fulton County Sheriff’s Office records show Spence was taken into custody on Tuesday and remained at the Fulton County Jail on Wednesday. It was not immediately known whether she had obtained an attorney in the case.
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911 call released
In a press conference Friday, police homicide commander Lt. Andrew Smith told reporters officers responded to a report of a dispute potentially involving a weapon on Friday, which was Young Scooter’s 39th birthday. Smith added that initial reports indicated shots were fired.
In the initial 911 call, a person, later identified by police as Spence, said a woman “was bleeding profusely, particularly from her head, and that a child may have been present during the incident.”
“She has a baby,” the caller said. “This situation is really serious, and he’s punching her. If you guys don’t get here, she’s going to be really hurt.”
The caller reported hearing gunshots.
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Bailey fled the house before suffering leg injury, police say
At the scene, responding officers knocked on the door before a male opened it and immediately shut it, Smith said. As police set up a perimeter around the home, two people ran from the rear of the home.
Smith said one of the runners, a male who police have not identified, returned back into the house. The other, later identified as Bailey, jumped two fences. Officers found Bailey on the other side of the fence suffering from what appeared to be “an injury to his leg.”
Bailey was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, Smith said.
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Autopsy: Young Scooter’s death ruled accidental; rapper died after suffering leg injury
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office said officials performed an autopsy Saturday, which revealed Bailey died after suffering “a penetrating injury” to his upper leg.
His manner of death was ruled an accident.
“Mr. Bailey sustained a penetrating injury of his right thigh that created marked blood loss,” officials wrote in the report. “This injury was not a gunshot wound. Mr. Bailey injured himself on organic (wooden) fencing material and/or woody debris after vaulting at least one fence.”
In a statement on the police department’s website, officials wrote the agency was “aware of inaccurate comments and social media posts” regarding Bailey’s death.
“While we understand that many people are saddened by his passing, it is important to recognize that Atlanta police officers neither discharged their firearms nor used any force against Mr. Bailey,” the department wrote.
Contributing: Jay Stahl
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
