San Antonio – The father of a man gunned down at the Rim shopping center Sunday is coming to his son’s defense after his criminal history surfaced.
While some on social media have tried to paint Savawn Kyle in a negative light, his grieving father, OC Rodriguez says his son was an up-and-coming musician who was the victim of jealousy after beating a murder charge.
The local rapper can be seen driving a Porsche in his most recent music video for his song “Apparently,” released about a month ago.
Man ‘targeted’ in shooting at The Rim shopping center dies
Today, Rodriguez confirmed it was the same Porsche Kyle was shot in Sunday at the Rim. Rodriguez says Kyle was at the Rim because it was his 8-year-old son’s birthday, and he was taking him shopping.
“I just lost my boy, I don’t know how to feel right now…the grace of God, nothing happened to my grand baby. They broke the g code and that ain’t cool,” Rodriguez said. “Savawn was a good kid, he just let life take him you know, he always had money, he always had whatever he wanted.”
Rodriguez says his son’s flashy lifestyle drew unwanted attention. They both feared this day would come.
“They’d (people) ride up and down the street all day long, and when they’d spot him, they tried to shoot at him,” Rodriguez said.
Man in critical condition after ‘targeted’ shooting at The Rim shopping center
In 2017, Kyle was charged with capital murder, but didn’t seem concerned while on his way to be booked. Instead, he promoted his mix tape.
That charge against Kyle was dropped last year pending further investigation, according to Bexar County court records.
“We know he didn’t do it, and the courts proved that. Justice prevailed,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez admits his son wasn’t perfect but says the former Roosevelt HS football player is no killer.
Instead, Kyle was a victim of jealousy.
“You go to jail, and then just get out, and you steady dropping new songs, people just envy that,” Rodriguez said.
San Antonio police have not said the deadly shooting was in connection to any of Kyle’s past charges, but they do believe Kyle was targeted.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the San Antonio police departments homicide unit at 210-207-7635.