Nipsey Hussle murder suspect arrested; Lauren London breaks silence
Los Angeles police have arrested the suspected killer of rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was gunned down outside his clothing store on Sunday. Police said that 29-year-old Eric Holder was taken into custody after a witness spotted him in Bellflower, about 20 miles from the shooting scene.
Police said they believe the shooting stemmed from a personal dispute between Holder and the 33-year-old rapper.
What we know:
- Eric Holder, 29, of Los Angeles, was taken into police custody Tuesday.
- Police described a dispute between Holder and Hussle of a "personal nature" and said Holder appeared in front of Hussle's clothing store more than once before shooting him.
- The LAPD chief said Holder is a member of a gang.
- LAPD Commissioner Steve Soboroff read a letter Hussle wrote to the LAPD prior to his death. Soboroff said a planned meeting between the department, members of Hussle's family and his label Roc Nation will continue as scheduled.
- The rapper planned to meet with officials to discuss ways to fight gang violence in the city.
Witness tip led police to murder suspect
Police said a witness called police after they spotted someone who appeared to be Holder in Bellflower, California. Deputies responded and arrested the man.
Holder was transported to a Los Angeles Police Department facility and will be booked for murder.
"I've lost my best friend": Lauren London breaks silence
Lauren London, Hussle's longtime girlfriend, broke her silence in an Instagram post Tuesday.
"I am completely lost. I've lost my best friend. My sanctuary. My protector. My soul. I'm lost without you. We are lost without you babe. I have no words," London said.
The two began dating in 2013. Three years later, London gave birth to their son, Kross Asghedom.
LAPD thanks community following arrest
Following Holder's arrest, police thanked the community on Twitter for the "heightened awareness" and "vigilance." During a press conference earlier in the day, LAPD Chief Michael R. Moore asked for the public's help in arresting Holder.
LAPD chief discusses Nipsey Hussle shooting suspect
The LAPD chief also confirmed Holder was believed to be a member of a gang.
He added that police believe Hussle's murder did not appear to be gang related. Moore did not identify the gang by name, saying it was "not appropriate for a law enforcement official to do."
LAPD on gun violence
During the press conference, Los Angeles police officials spoke about ways they are seeking to address gun violence.
The Los Angeles Police Department said they will be establish an office of violence prevention to tackle gun violence and help with support for the families of victims of homicide.
"The issue of gun violence cannot be minimized," a spokesperson for the department said.
During the press conference, Soboroff read a letter Hussle wrote to the LAPD prior to his death. Soboroff said a planned meeting involving the LAPD, Hussle's label Roc Nation and members of Hussle's family will continue as scheduled. The rapper planned to meet with Los Angeles Police Department officials to discuss ways to fight gang violence in the city.
"The meeting will happen," Soboroff said. "I want to help what he wanted to do."
Nipsey Hussle's lyrics quoted at press conference
Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson spoke at the press conference and quoted the rapper's lyrics in his address to the press.
"One of Nipsey's most well known songs says: 'Bullets don't have names, and as long as they're flying, all of us are in danger.'" Harris-Dawson said. "Nipsey is an example of any life lost is a life too many."
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti on "tough few days" for city
"This has been a tough few days for Los Angeles," Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the news conference. "Nipsey Hussle was an artist who touched our city and the lives far beyond the City of Angels and this world."
Garcetti called Hussle "a tireless advocate of the people of this city and this world" and said, "His impact on our city was deep." Garcetti addressed gang violence, as well, in his remarks, and said even though homicide rates are down 17 percent in Los Angeles in the last year, there have been 11 homicides across the city in the past week alone.
Nipsey Hussle was shot in front of his Los Angeles store
Hussle, the Grammy-nominated rapper whose real name was Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was shot to death in front of Marathon Clothing, the South Los Angeles store he founded in 2017. Two other men were hit in the shooting but their wounds weren't considered life-threatening.
An autopsy performed Monday determined Hussle was shot in the head and torso, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
The Grammy-nominated rapper was remembered not just for his music but for his deep community involvement and activism.
"Mass panic and chaos" at Nipsey Hussle vigil
Several people were injured Monday night when some 300 who had gathered outside Hussle's clothing store to pay their respects to the slain rapper suddenly stampeded from the area, authorities said. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department, Meghan Aguilar, told reporters there was "mass panic and chaos." There was no initial word on what set it off.
CBS Los Angeles reports the peaceful vigil turned chaotic around 8:10 p.m. when people scattered across the packed parking lot.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said 19 people were taken to hospitals, at least two in critical condition. One was hit by a vehicle, the other a deep puncture wound. Most of those hurt had what the department called "trample injuries" that were "sustained when the crowd rushed out."
Community leaders and fans remember Nipsey Hussle
Community leaders and fans led an outpouring of support for Hussle. African-American leaders in Los Angeles had demanded the suspect in the killing to turn himself in and surrender to police. Hussle's devastated fans came to the crime scene Monday to leave tokens of support and remembrance.
Basketball stars LeBron James and Russell Westbrook each tweeted messages of grief following the news that Hussle had passed away.