An aspiring musician's life was tragically cut short in the early morning hours of January 9, 2014, in Brandywine, Maryland. Errick Lamar Pratt, a 23-year-old male from Fort Washington, was fatally shot in what authorities described as an accidental shooting. The incident occurred at a house on a farm in the 18700 block of Croom Road, where Pratt and a group of friends, consisting of two other men and two women, were gathered.
The preliminary investigation by the Prince George's County
police revealed that the group was playing with a rifle when the weapon discharged. Pratt was struck once in the head. He was among several people in the home at the time of the incident, which occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m.
Known to many by his stage name 'Pop Smoothe,' Pratt was a burgeoning rap artist who had released a mixtape titled “Smoothe Like Dat” the previous summer and was reportedly working on a follow-up project. Friends remembered him as a talented individual who poured his heart into his music.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a police spokeswoman stated that it was unlikely any charges would be filed in connection with Pratt's death. The investigation pointed to a tragic accident rather than a criminal act. There have been no reports of any arrests or suspects being named in the case, and the initial determination of an accidental shooting appears to have stood.
