Bay Area rapper Lil Yase killed in weekend shooting.

Police identify the artist as victim of homicide near BART station in Dublin

DUBLIN >> Bay Area rapper Lil Yase was shot and killed near the East Dublin/ Pleasanton BART station early Saturday, authorities confirmed Sunday, leaving those close to him wondering what led to his death.

The 26-year- old artist from San Francisco, whose real name is Alexander Mark Antonyyo Jr., died after being shot on the 5100 block of Iron Horse Parkway, police said.

Police initially were called around 1 a.m. Saturday to the Valley Care Medical Center in Pleasanton for a report of a person who had arrived suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Antonyyo Jr. was then taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Though police said they located a “crime scene” near the BART station, no suspects were found.

Authorities said they “continue to process evidence and follow leads in the homicide investigation” and are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact Dublin Police.

On Saturday, Lil Yase’s label, Highway 420 Productions, shared a tribute post to Antonnyo Jr. on Instagram, and posted a link to a new video for one of Lil Yase’s tracks called “Top Dog.”

“We appreciate all the love and support. Yase loved his fans, he worked every day for y’all,” the label’s Instagram post read.

Justin Miranda, Antonyyo Jr.’s business partner at the record label, said in an interview Sunday that the artist was scheduled to be at a Novato recording studio Saturday night, and had texted friends he was headed that way, but he never made it there.

“That’s the thing that’s really bothering everyone close to us, is that no one knows. We don’t have any idea what he was doing out there,” Miranda said. “Everybody is confused, no one knows what the hell is going on, or what happened.”

Miranda said Antonyyo Jr. was a “tall, goofy kid with a silly laugh, always smiling and really nice to

everybody,” and didn’t have any enemies.

“There are so many people in the music industry who have beefs with people. He was universally loved and respected by everyone, didn’t matter what city or neighborhood, everybody loved him, from LA up to here,” Miranda said.

“He was a sweet, sweet k id , he pl aye d v ide o games all day long, if anything we had to drag him off his damn video game to get to work,” Miranda said.

“It was just a mystery to us,” Miranda said of the artist’s death. “It blew my mind when I got the call.”

Bay Area music and culture blog The Thizzler also posted on Instagram in memory of the artist on Saturday, saying they were saddened to learn that he had been “shot & killed” earlier that day.

“Rest In Peace Lil Yase … He was a legend in the Bay Area rap scene and held it down for San Francisco, breaking out with his hit record Get It In with Yatta, along with many other classics,” The Thizzler’s post read.

Miranda said Antonyyo Jr. started gaining notoriety in his early 20s and as he continued to build his career, he partnered with Miranda to make an independent label about two years ago to help promote other local artists.

“He wanted to help his friends get out of situations. He was really fortunate to start making a real good amount of money at a really young age, and that was what kept him out of the streets. He was able to take care of his mother,” Miranda said.

“I think he just genuinely wanted that for other people too,” he added. “That independence and positive outlet.”