Sky Whatley
Introduction
Sky Whatley, the stage name of Georgia Southern soul singer David Whatley Jr., is wanted on an arrest warrant in DeKalb County, Georgia, on a misdemeanor simple battery charge after he was allegedly caught on video slapping a woman β Shamika Boyd β from the stage of a concert in Tucker on September 6, 2026. The strike, which witnesses and the victim say could be heard over the music, allegedly left Boyd with two black eyes and knocked the composite fixture out of one of her teeth. A warrant was issued in early October after weeks of inaction that Boyd’s attorney publicly blasted, and as of October 3 Whatley had not been arrested, with police reportedly planning to let him turn himself in .
Background Information
Whatley is a Southern soul performer with roughly 3,500 monthly listeners on Spotify, working the Atlanta-area live circuit where soul shows double as award nights and family events. The alleged assault happened at the Legendary Awards Show & Concert at the Londzell Performing Arts Theatre on Lavista Road in Tucker, a benefit-style event Boyd attended with VIP tickets to support her daughter, Jada Boyd, who was performing a DJ set and receiving an award that night . Video of the confrontation circulated widely on social media in the days after the show, and Atlanta’s WSB-TV and 11Alive both covered the fallout .
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Allegations. Whatley has been charged with one count of simple battery, a misdemeanor, and has not been arrested; he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The account below is drawn from a DeKalb County police report and interviews reported by WSB-TV, 11Alive and the New York Post. Whatley has not publicly responded to the allegations, and no public statement from him was available at publication.
According to the police report, Boyd told DeKalb County officers that Whatley called her to the stage during his performance and acted as though he was going to give her a high five β then reached back and slapped her across the face. Video circulating on social media appears to show the soul singer reaching down from the stage toward a woman in the crowd before striking her. Boyd said the blow was unprovoked: she had done nothing to him, and he faced no threat. She told officers the slap left both of her eyes black and chipped a tooth that had recently received a composite fixture .
“When he hit me, I was devastated because I’m thinking, ‘Why did he hit me? He had no reason to hit me,’” Boyd told 11Alive. Boyd claims Whatley then made a crude gesture toward her and cursed her out β “After he flipped me off, he was like, ‘Eff you B, this is for the real men,’” she said. Her daughter Jada, who learned of the assault only afterward, said: “There is nothing that he could say to justify what he did. It was very wrong and it was sickening to actually see that happening.”
What happened next became its own scandal. Boyd reported the incident to police after the show, but nothing happened for nearly a month. Boyd’s attorney, Shannin Render of The Render Law Firm, blasted DeKalb County law enforcement for the slow response to a caught-on-camera attack: “They’re just not doing their job. I’ve done this for about 10 years now, and when there’s an active warrant, you get picked up. Especially with something of such notoriety.” Render said Boyd was told authorities were “deciding not to go forward and they’re going to let him turn himself in.” Boyd’s attorneys also questioned the venue’s response β she says she was removed from the venue while Whatley was allowed to continue performing, and the firm is examining whether other parties share responsibility .
Public Reaction and Consequences
The viral video turned Whatley’s name into a local scandal weeks before any charge arrived, and the charge itself β when it finally landed β drew a second wave of criticism, this time at prosecutors and police. Boyd’s attorney Atiya Vereen argued the reported injuries warranted a felony: “If I went out and slapped somebody and I blacked their eye and I chipped their tooth, I wouldn’t be charged with simple battery… Aggravated battery. I caused serious bodily injury.” Boyd is pursuing civil action against Whatley, seeking compensation for medical treatment, transportation and lost income during recovery . 11Alive reported that neither the DeKalb County Police Department nor the Solicitor’s Office responded to questions about the warrant .
Current Status
A DeKalb County warrant for Whatley’s arrest on the simple battery charge was issued in early October 2026, and as of October 3 he had not been taken into custody; whether he knows about the warrant remains unclear, and Boyd’s attorneys and an 11Alive reporter have been unable to reach him. The charge is a misdemeanor and is unadjudicated β no trial has occurred, no plea has been reported, and Whatley is presumed innocent. Boyd’s civil claim is in preparation. His Instagram has gone private and an associated Facebook page appeared deactivated .
Impact on Their Career/Life
Whatley’s career β built in a regional soul scene where reputation is the product β now carries a wanted status, a viral video that follows every search of his name, and a pending civil suit. His social retreat (private Instagram, deactivated Facebook) has cut him off from the channels regional soul acts depend on for bookings. For Boyd, the case has become a public fight over how seriously Georgia authorities treat violence against women: her attorneys are pressing both the misdemeanor charge’s adequacy and the month-long delay, and the DeKalb County agencies involved have publicly answered nothing .
Sources
- New York Post, “Georgia singer Sky Whatley charged after allegedly slapping woman during concert: ‘He had no reason,’” October 3, 2026 β source
- 11Alive, “Musician charged after viral video shows woman struck, but he hasn’t been arrested,” October 3, 2026 β source
- WSB-TV, “Woman says musician slapped her during concert, police report filed,” September 22, 2026 β source
- Hoodline, “Sky Whatley Slap Video: Tucker Concert Incident Explained,” September 2026 β source