A local rap music artist with a large social media following was shot and killed on Loop 410 in northwest San Antonio in what police call an unusually vicious attack early Saturday morning.
The victim’s friend, who was in the passenger seat of the car, was shot as well but that 25-year-old man survived.
The cry for help came when, a police describe, two vehicles boxed the victim's car into slowing down as he entered the freeway at Loop 410 near Evers and Callaghan around 2:30 a.m. Saturday.
San Antonio Police Department spokesman Doug Greene said that two vehicles with two gunmen trapped the victims on the busy freeway.
“A silver SUV pulled up alongside them and a black four-door vehicle pulled up in front of them and slowed down, forcing the victim's vehicle to slow down,” Greene described.
Greene said that people in both vehicles fired on the victims, but they don’t have much else to go on.
“We have no other description on the suspects,” Greene said. “It was obviously very intentional. These individuals were targeting the victims in this case.”
Police say that the driver, 25-year-old Chris Polk, died instantly.
His passenger, who police aren't identifying, was taken to a hospital in serious condition. Friends of the men identify the second victim as Polk’s manager.
Friends say that Polk was a well-known rap music artist who had just completed a performance at a nearby club.
Hundreds of fans and friends have taken to social media to express their shock and outrage at his death.
Alvin Perry, who is involved in the local rap music scene, said that he has interviewed Polk and been involved with his career in a number of ways for the last six years.
"Chris was very popular for many different reasons, but a lot of people loved his music. He was one of the greatest rappers to ever come out of San Antonio,” said Perry, who also noted that Polk had many qualities that attracted fans. “He had the talent, he had the look, he had the delivery, the flow. He put a lot of heart and hard work and dedication into his music.”
Perry said that he believes Polk had more supporters than enemies, but he also said that the life of a performer can be dangerous.
“When you're in this life, you're going to have people who like you and people who don't like you. And when you draw that type of attention, haters are going to come with it,” Perry said.
Perry added that his friend was involved in community work and loved his toddler daughter in a devoted way.
Others praised Polk’s involvement in his church community.
Perry said that there is nothing good about the death of his friend, but he said that he does find a small amount of comfort from the fact that Polk had just completed a show with a crowd of supporters who will remember him at his best.
“Nothing is good out of this, but he had just performed and people got to see him and they will remember him how they knew him,” Perry said. “If you were a fan of his music, or a fan of him, and you got to see him perform, then that was a good thing to see him in that moment.”
Officer Greene said that the Crime Stoppers program is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for clues in this murder case.
Police are also looking for additional clues like witnesses in the area and surveillance video from the many businesses in the area around Loop 410 and Evers.
“If anyone has seen anything or was in that area around this time, 2:30, in the area of Loop 410 and Callaghan Road, we ask that they call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP,” Greene said.