Chicago rapper Bloodhound Q50 was shot five times during a deadly ambush at a gas station last month, according to newly released autopsy findings. The 22-year-old artist, whose real name was Mikquale T. Cooper, was killed September 13, 2026, after multiple gunmen opened fire on his Tesla.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cook County medical examiner’s report confirmed that Cooper suffered five gunshot wounds to his head, neck, back, and left shoulder. Investigators also recovered approximately 50 spent bullet casings from the crime scene.
The casings reportedly came from rifles and 9mm handguns, indicating that different types of firearms were used during the attack. Although roughly 50 casings were recovered, the Bloodhound Q50 autopsy confirmed that the rapper himself was struck five times.
The shooting happened around 4 a.m. at a BP gas station located at 4248 S. Wentworth Avenue in Chicago’s Fuller Park neighborhood.
According to police records previously reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Cooper arrived at the gas station driving a white Tesla with his girlfriend. Shortly after he parked, a black Infiniti carrying two masked individuals pulled alongside his vehicle.
As Cooper and his girlfriend entered the convenience store, a Honda Accord carrying additional masked individuals also arrived at the location.
Surveillance footage showed Cooper leaving the store, briefly stepping back inside, and eventually returning to his Tesla.
Moments after he got back into the vehicle, six armed men reportedly emerged from the other cars and began firing.
Investigators said the gunmen fled following the attack. Cooper was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
The gunfire was so extensive that windows at a nearby Subway restaurant were damaged.
Cooper’s girlfriend managed to escape the vehicle during the shooting. According to records cited by the Chicago Sun-Times, she told investigators that she ran from the Tesla and hid inside a stranger’s car.
She also reportedly told police that people wanted the rapper dead.
Following the release of surveillance footage, speculation circulated online accusing the woman of setting Cooper up. She publicly denied those allegations. Her statement suggested that an issue involving the Tesla’s seat belt delayed their attempt to leave. However, authorities have not publicly confirmed that the vehicle’s safety features contributed to the shooting.
The Bloodhound Q50 autopsy also included toxicology findings showing cannabis, a benzodiazepine, and opioids in the rapper’s system.
Before his death, Cooper had spoken publicly about the dangers surrounding his life.
During an interview with DJ Akademiks approximately one month before the shooting, he stated, “I’m not chasing death, but … I’m not running from it either.”
Cooper survived a separate shooting in 2023, when he was struck in the leg. His cousin, rapper Bloodhound Zmoney, was killed that same year.
Two other artists associated with Cooper, Bloodhound Lil Jeff and Lil Scoom89, were fatally shot in 2024.
Despite those losses, Cooper continued pursuing music. He released his project “Get Back or Die Trying” in August 2026, just weeks before his death, as his popularity in Chicago’s drill music scene continued growing.
While the autopsy findings provide a clearer account of the injuries he suffered during the September attack, investigators have not publicly established a motive or identified who orchestrated the shooting.
