The man suspected of killing rapper and songwriter Nipsey Hussle was charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder, the Associated Press reports.
Eric Holder, 29, was taken into custody earlier this week. The Los Angeles Police Department alleges that Holder shot Nipsey Hussle outside of Marathon Clothing, a store which Nipsey himself owned. The attack took place on Sunday, March 31, where both Nipsey and two other unnamed men were shot multiple times. Nipsey suffered five gunshot wounds to the torso and one to the head. All three men were taken to a nearby hospital, and Nipsey was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. He was 33-years-old.
Authorities revealed that prior to the shooting, Nipsey Hussle and Eric Holder, who were acquainted with one another, had multiple conversations outside the aforementioned clothing store on Sunday. Holder eventually left but returned with a handgun and shot Nipsey. The two got into an argument earlier that day, though law enforcement declined to divulge additional details regarding their relationship.
As the Associated Press notes, Holder pleaded no contest to possession of a loaded firearm back in 2012. He was sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation. Aside from the charges of murder and attempted murder, Eric was also charged with possession of a firearm, since he was a convicted felon. If he is found guilty of any of the murder charges, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
BREAKING: Murder charge filed against man accused of fatally shooting rapper Nipsey Hussle. https://t.co/iAhogxKy1l
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 4, 2019
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Nipsey’s business partner, Herman Douglas, has suggested that Holder was jealous of the rapper’s newfound success. Years ago, Hussle rose to prominence with the release of his 2013 mixtape, titled Crenshaw, thanks to rapper Jay-Z, who purchased 100 of the 1,000 limited first edition physical copies. Earlier this year, Nipsey’s debut studio album, Victory Lap, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, though it lost out to Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy.
Per the Associated Press, Nipsey Hussle was a beloved figure in the Los Angeles community, and earlier today, the California State Senate adjourned in his honor.
“He was a manifestation, from my perspective, of the American dream, even the California dream,” said Democratic Sen. Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles. “He represents a new generation of entertainer turned activist turned entrepreneur.”
Congresswoman Karen Bass took to Twitter to announce that she will be honoring Nipsey in Congress.
“I will be heading to the House Floor next week to formally enter Nipsey Hussle’s contributions to South Los Angeles into the Congressional Record where it will be a part of United States history forever,” she tweeted.