"Growing Up Hip Hop" star Angela Simmons was in the middle of a heated custody battle with her ex when he was gunned down at his Atlanta home over the weekend.
The New York Post said Angela and Sutton Tennyson, whom she shared 2-year-old son Sutton Jr. with, were in Manhattan Family Court on Oct. 30 because the reality TV star wanted more child support.
"It wasn't lovey dovey, there's a reason people go to court," a source told the newspaper.
The Post noted that Sutton Sr. had been paying about $1,250 a month in child support. Also, over the summer, she received temporary custody of the toddler after filing for a protective order against her ex. In court, she made domestic violence claims against Sutton Sr., alleging that he did not handle their 2017 split well.
Before his death, Sutton Sr., who was formerly engaged to Angela, was FaceTiming his son every night and was preparing paperwork to vie for joint custody.
"He tried hard to be in the child's life," the source said.
After Sutton's Nov. 3 death, Angela — the daughter of Run DMC's Rev. Run and niece of producer Russell Simmons — was devastated.
On Nov. 4, Angela posted a slideshow on Instagram featuring photos and videos of her son and his late father, 37, captioning it, "Thank you for leaving behind my greatest gift. I'm hurting. I'm numb. Thank you for the outpouring of love everyone. I cant believe I'm even saying Rest In Peace Sutton. I promise to hold SJ down in every way I promise."
On Nov. 5, she shared a video of her son launching as he watched iPhone videos of he and his dad playing in the pool.
"Reflecting," she said. "He keeps replaying it 💔 RIP Sutton."
Atlanta police told TMZ that officers raced to Sutton Sr.'s home after receiving a "shots fired" call and discovered him dead in his garage, his body riddled with bullet wounds. Police said that Sutton was talking to another man in his driveway when the conversation escalated. He was shot and the suspect fled in his car.
People magazine said that the case is currently under investigation by the Atlanta Police Department's homicide unit.