Shooting After Nipsey Hussle’s Memorial Procession Leaves One Dead

One person was shot dead after a memorial procession for the late rapper Nipsey Hussle in Los Angeles on Friday, while three others were left injured.

A crowd was walking through L.A. as a tribute to the 33-year-old Crenshaw native, who was killed in a shooting late last month in front of his own clothing store. Thousands of fans had gathered to celebrate Nipsey Hussle’s life, as he was a Grammy-nominated artist who was also a beloved figure in his own neighborhood. According to the L.A. Times, the four victims were described as three black men and one black woman, all between the ages of 30 and 50. Police said the shooting suspects fired from a gray Hyundai, sending bullets into the crowd of fans who were paying homage to the rapper.

“We must stop this senseless violence,” LAPD Chief Michael Moore tweeted.

Other well-known celebrities in the music industry attended the memorial service at the Staples Center in L.A. in order to pay their respects. These mourners included Beyonce and Jay-Z — who worked with Nipsey through his label, Roc Nation — as well as Snoop Dogg, Meek Mill, and Diddy.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama was also among the people who penned letters in tribute to the rapper. His statement, which was addressed to Nipsey’s friends and family, was read out loud during the service. He praised the late artist for his efforts to improve his community, and for speaking out against gang violence among youngsters.

“His choice to invest in that community rather than ignore it — to build a skills training center and a co-working space in Crenshaw; to lift up the Eritrean-American community; to set an example for young people to follow — is a legacy worth celebration,” Obama wrote.

Fellow West Coast musician Kendrick Lamar also penned an emotional letter, calling his collaborator a “true king.”

“His charisma and way with words was powerful. But his integrity as a person made me even more enthused,” Kendrick wrote.

Also present at the service was an evidently heartbroken Lauren London, who was Nipsey’s longtime girlfriend. She is mother to his two-year-old son, Kross. She was also joined by her oldest son, Kameron, who she shares with rapper Lil Wayne. The actress said a few words about her partner, at one point addressing the city of L.A.

“I’d like to say something to my city Los Angeles. This pain is ours — we know what Nip meant to us. We lost an incredible soul to us and we lost someone very rare,” she said.

“We lost a real one.”