Qualeisha Barnes, a rapper known as Siditty, was killed in a shooting on Wednesday, April 8, PEOPLE has confirmed. According to a statement from the Atlanta Police Department, officers responded to a call at about 1:23 a.m. local time. When they arrived, they found an adult woman inside a vehicle, unresponsive and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Authorities later confirmed that the victim was 36-year-old Barnes.
Her family also confirmed her identity in an interview with 11Alive. Barnes's mother, Francine Lopez-Stewart, shared that her daughter was 14 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, deepening the heartbreak surrounding the tragedy.
Lopez-Stewart told the outlet that she believes more than one person may have been involved in the incident and said she hopes everyone responsible will be held accountable. She expressed that anyone who played a role in leading to the violence should face consequences.
Police have not released further details, and the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing. PEOPLE has reached out to authorities for additional information.
Barnes had been living in the Atlanta area for nearly ten years. While building her music career as Siditty, she was also working toward becoming a nurse. Her family said she was close to completing her studies and had already made significant academic achievements.
"She made the dean's list. She had about two more semesters left. She was so proud of herself, and we were so proud of her," her mother said.
Her sister, Shatara Davis, spoke emotionally about the loss, remembering Barnes not as a public figure but as family. She described her as someone she grew up with, shared a home and memories with, and called her both her sister and her baby.
Their mother also reflected on Barnes's personality, saying she was someone people immediately loved. She described her as playful, full of humor, and always ready to make others laugh, often joking with those closest to her.
As the investigation continues, Barnes's family is left holding on to memories of a woman they say brought joy, ambition, and love into their lives.