The 39-year-old was a prolific street rapper with a large following who worked with some of the biggest names in southern hip-hop.

Atlanta rapper Young Scooter died on his 39th birthday Friday in a freak accident that occurred while fleeing a confrontation with police, according to authorities.

News of the rapper’s death — his real name is Kenneth Edward Bailey — took off on social media Friday with widespread rumors that he was fatally shot by Atlanta Police. That prompted police in the city to call a late-night press conference in which they denied that was the case.