Zayden Banks, the 10-year-old son of Chicago artist Lil Durk, is at the center of a brewing drama surrounding the alleged shooting of his stepfather, Joshua Pippens. This drama transpired on July 1, 2024, in front of Pippens’ mother’s house when a loud, boisterous argument escalated into a violent moment being investigated by the police.
As seen by authorities and captured in footage posted online subsequently by Pippens himself, the altercation started as a heated argument between Zayden’s mother, Travanna Collier, and Pippens himself. Matters escalated rapidly. As raised voices rang out across the driveway, young Zayden looked on. And in a horrific twist, the boy is said to have grabbed a weapon held in Pippens’ hip holster and fired it — striking stepfather Pippens in the belly.
Security footage, which by now is easily available on the web, captured the chaotic scene. One interpretation is that Zayden reacted in defense of his mom, while others cite larger concerns regarding control, custody battles, and dysfunctional families.
From his hospital bedside, Pippens went onto social media to tell his side of the story.
“I wasn’t the offender,”
he wrote in a since-viral Facebook post.
“The boy was being instructed. She instructed the boy to grab it.” But even so. I love him like he’s my son.”
His words have caused controversy on the web — both for asserting that Collier had urged the boy to shoot and also because of the unusually sympathetic tone he uses. Even though he had been shot, Pippens did not file charges and continues in a conflicted but sincere bond with the boy.
Authorities have not verified Pippens’ claims against Collier, but they did issue a partial account of Zayden’s statement to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. According to it, the child witnessed his mother and stepfather fighting and attempted to step in and stop them. In the struggle, he pushed Pippens and insists the weapon “fell” and that he accidentally grabbed it — and fired it.
The boy’s dad, Lil Durk — a rapper famous for his unedited lyrics and drama-filled personal life — hasn’t spoken publicly about the situation either. But on July 8, he posted mysteriously on X
“Save that money for them kids kids kids kids kids.”
While they did not touch on the shooting directly, the post was interpreted by fans as a reference to his ongoing family drama. The 31-year-old artist, born Durk Derrick Banks, had always sung the praises of his children. But the pressures of fame, legal woes, and high-profile co-parenting have muddied the waters of that story.
Durk, who is set to possibly serve life in prison due to unrelated criminal charges, finds himself under the harsh glare of the public eye once more — this time, not due to music or criminal proceedings, but a poignantly private crisis concerning his son.
Adding to the emotional and media frenzy was a different but related viral clip. Just days prior to the shooting, Zayden had gone on a livestream with his mother. During the stream, Travanna Collier could be heard and seen laughing and playing around with a different man — actions that visibly distressed Zayden.
“Me and Durk did not work out, we just had a baby,”
Collier allegedly told the stream, prompting Zayden to react in obvious discomfort. His uncensored, no-holds-barred reaction turned instantly into a meme, but it also raised questions about the exposure the baby has had — both emotionally and in the public eye.
Social media erupted in opinion. Some were saddened by a child caught up in adult difficulties. Others lambasted the use of the livestream as being inappropriate and hurtful.
Up to this time, no one is in custody in the July 1 shooting, and the case continues under active investigation. Police are said to be examining every aspect, including the use of firearms, disputes over custody, and potential emotional manipulation.
“This is not a one-off incident,”
one of the Indiana child welfare professionals, who asked not to use their name, said.
“This is the ripple effect of unpredictability, of conflict, of exposure — in families that live so much of their lives on the internet.”
In fact, the case has stirred up new debate on the safety of children, particularly children living in mixed, celebrity households. Legal experts indicate family court hearings could follow, in the event that concerns regarding parental control and emotional safety are proven true.
