Nipsey Hussle murder: Suspected shooter arrested after manhunt, police say rapper knew him
As per latest reports on the brutal murder of Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle, a suspect was arrested on Tuesday, April 2. Law enforcement authorities revealed Eric Holder believed to be a suspect in the fatal shooting of Hussle has been detained in Bellflower, a city in southeast Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old suspect has reportedly been on the run after fleeing the scene of the shooting that happened Sunday, March 31. Holder fled the scene in a waiting car, revealed the Los Angeles Police Department.
Officer Sal Ramirez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department, said homicide detectives went to confirm Holder's identity. It was the police in Bellflower, who identified the arrested suspect as Holder. Police released Holder's name and photo Monday night and asked for public's help in finding him. It was not immediately clear how authorities located the suspect. He was detained first by sheriff's deputies until LA police arrived and confirmed that he was wanted in Hussle's slaying, authorities said.
“Until we positively confirm, we can only say a possible suspect has been detained,” Ramirez said. At a news conference on Tuesday, LAPD chief Michel Moore also mentioned that the police “believe this to be a dispute between Mr. Hussle and Mr. Holder” and that “we believe they were known to each other.” He added: “It appears to be a personal matter between the two of them, and I’ll leave it at that."
The two men had several arguments on Sunday, and Holder returned to the store with a handgun and opened fire on Hussle and two other men, who survived the shooting, police said. The chief did not reveal how the two men were acquainted or offer any details about their dispute.
While both Hussle and Holder have ties to street gangs, the dispute between them was personal and did not involve gang activity, Moore said. After shooting Hussle and two other men who survived, Holder fled in a waiting car driven by a woman, the police chief said.
Moore also said Holder and Hussle had “engaged in conversation,” before Holder left the scene and returned with a handgun. He had then proceeded to fire at Hussle and hit him, along with two other men. Moore had urged Holder to surrender, addressing him directly at a news conference Tuesday morning.
Police singled out Holder as a suspect with assistance from witnesses at the scene and in the surrounding neighborhood, and they hoped to get similar help in finding him. "The community is the one that is helping us solve this case," Moore said. The killing came amid a spike in gun violence in the area. "Nipsey Hussle represents the enormity of the lives we have lost," the chief said.
With inputs from AP