'Who would shoot Malacai?' Community looks for answers 6 weeks after Minneapolis artist killed
A preliminary investigation from the Minneapolis Police Department indicated that Bailey was shot while he was in his car, by people he may have known.
“It’s crazy how you can make plans with someone for Sunday on a Friday night, but they’re gone on Saturday.”
DJ Ariginal Dolla says he was in shock when he heard his friend and close associate Malacai Bailey was fatally shot in Minneapolis on June 1.
A preliminary investigation from the Minneapolis Police Department indicated that Bailey was shot while he was in his car, by people he may have known.
Upon arrival, officers found the unresponsive 25-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound and began rendering aid before he was transported to the North Memorial Medical Center, where he would later die.
"Who would shoot Malacai?"
“Who would shoot Malacai?” asked the KMOJ DJ incredulously in the radio station's north Minneapolis studio. To hear Dolla tell it, Malacai was a hard working, kind father and artist with only the sky limiting his potential.
Malacai’s personality is a big reason the DJ spent the next weeks asking for justice on his late night show, Double O-G Radio.
“He was an attentive father, a caring father,” said Dolla.
“The person who did this was evil.”
Bailey’s mom, Annaka Haynes says everyday has been a battle since she lost her son.
“My son was not a gangbanger, he didn’t carry a gun, he was none of the above,” she said tearfully in an Eden Prairie park.
“My son didn’t have any enemies, so it doesn’t really make sense,” said Malacai’s father, Daunte Bailey, who added Malacai was the kind of kid who would do anything to make someone laugh.
A love of laughter, a passion for music
A look through Malacai's social feeds shows a young artist consistently posting music, videos and using his channels to promote his work since 2019.
Bailey released a video for his song "Reminiscing" in 2019. The visualizer depicts Malacai rapping along to his lyrics in north Minneapolis with a noticeable presence in front of Hook Fish and Chicken.
"He was really passionate about music," said Daunte, who said his son's curiosity with music began after a young Malacai found some of his father's old songs.
Wanting to foster that curiosity, Daunte started by getting his son books to teach him about music until he bought his son a keyboard for Christmas before his 10th birthday.
That early foundation in music proved extremely useful for Malacai, who DJ Ariginial Dolla described as "always prepared musically."
Justice for Malacai
"Justice for Malacai would mean we find out who killed him, and we find out why," says Dolla.
The shock hasn't worn off for any of the people in Malacai's circle.
"I'm just trying to take it one day at a time," said Haynes.
The case of Malacai's fatal shooting remains open and no arrests have been made, according to the MPD.