Police Now Say 2 Reported Being Shot At Nipsey Hussle Vigil
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – After initially saying they had discovered no evidence that a shooting occurred during a stampede at a vigil in South Los Angeles for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle, police Wednesday said two women who went to a hospital told investigators they were shot at the April 1 gathering.
More than 400 mourners came together where the 33-year-old Hussle was gunned down on March 31 in front of The Marathon Clothing store, which he opened in 2017 at the corner of Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard in the Hyde Park neighborhood.
"The peaceful vigil began at 6:30 p.m. and was conducted without incident," according to a Los Angeles Police Department statement. "After the formal event, around 8 p.m., a large mass panic occurred, where mourners were seen running from the vigil site."
SKY9 was over the scene as fans brought candles, flowers, posters and items of clothing to pay their respects to the Grammy-nominated artist before the panic erupted.
Those hurt in the ensuing stampede included some who were injured from falling on the glass candles that had been placed by mourners, police said.
Social media video from the scene showed droves of people running into each other.
Another clip showed two people being carried from the area.
Officers and firefighters responded and crews treated minor injuries, according to the LAPD.
"During the chaos, a witness notified a member of LAPD's command staff on-scene that an individual in the crowd brandished a handgun and an unknown member of the crowd began struggling with that man to get the gun away," police said. "He was eventually able to disarm that individual."
The same witness told investigators no shooting occurred, "which was consistent with reports from officers working the event who also reported that they did not hear any gunshots."
"However, there were witnesses who stated they heard shots fired," according to the LAPD. "Regardless, investigators began searching for information regarding the potential assault with a deadly weapon and brandishing, but they were unable to confirm that a shooting occurred, due to no victims at the scene, and no witnesses to a shooting."
While checking on victims, investigators were informed that two gunshot wound victims had been treated at one of the hospitals, police said. The victims were reported by the Los Angeles Times to be women.
"The victims were in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries and confirmed that they were at the vigil and had transported themselves to the hospital," the LAPD reported.
A search warrant was served Monday at several locations in the area of Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue "to obtain evidence of the shooting," police said.
There was no word on what, if anything, the searches turned up but police say the investigation is ongoing.
After the vigil, two people ended up hospitalized in critical condition with injuries suffered in the stampede.
One was hurt in a vehicle versus pedestrian collision and the second suffered a "penetrating, traumatic injury with cause unknown," according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
It's unclear if either of those individuals were the gunshot victims referred to by police.
A total of 19 people who were injured in the stampede were taken to hospitals. Two other people were seriously hurt and 15 suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Stewart said. In the stampede's immediate aftermath, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore tweeted that early reports of a shooting at the location did "not appear to be accurate."
A memorial service for Hussle was scheduled to take place Thursday morning at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Anyone with information about what happened at the vigil was urged to call detectives at 323-786-5420. After-hours calls should be directed to 877-LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or lacrimestoppers.org.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)