Los Angeles Police Department confirms that Eric Holder, the prime suspect in the murder of the late rapper, is now in custody.
- Apr 3, 2019
AceShowbiz - Police have arrested the prime suspect in the shooting of Nipsey Hussle. Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Tuesday, April 2 that Eric Holder, the suspected gunman, has been in police custody.
"Eric Holder, the suspected killer of Nipsey Hussle, has been arrested and is in police custody," read a statement posted on LAPD's official Twitter account. "Thank you to both our community for the heightened awareness/vigilance, and our partners at @LASDHQ."
Eric Holder, the suspected killer of Nipsey Hussle, has been arrested and is in police custody. Thank you to both our community for the heightened awareness/vigilance, and our partners at @LASDHQ. pic.twitter.com/0zujy89Yfm
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) April 2, 2019
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told CBS2 that Eric was caught by deputies sometime before 1:30 P.M. in the 9900 block of Artesia Boulevard, in the Bellflower area. Los Angeles police later responded to the scene and confirmed the man arrested was indeed Holder.
The arrest was made hours after LAPD identified the suspected shooter and asked for people's help in locating the gunman. He is described as a 29-year-old Los Angeles resident with gang ties.
Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore told reporters Tuesday morning that Nipsey and the suspected killer knew each other and the shooting could have been fueled by a personal dispute. "Mr. Holder walked up on multiple occasions and engaged in a conversation with Nipsey and the others that were there," Moore detailed the incident as caught on surveillance camera. "He left and subsequently came back armed with a handgun, and purposefully and repeatedly fired, striking and killing Nipsey Hussle."
Nipsey was shot multiple times in front of his Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles and was pronounced dead at the hospital after paramedics performed CPR on the scene and during the ambulance ride. Coroner confirmed he died of gunshot wounds to the head and torso. He was 33. The two other victims survived. One of them was hospitalized, but the other was treated at the scene and refused to be transported.
Moore also addressed the vigil for Nipsey at the murder scene that ended in chaos after suspected gunshots. Moore said an unidentified man brandished a handgun, and another individual attempted to disarm him. "And in that struggle, that caused, obviously, panic in that group of hundreds of people, and a cascade, or stampede if you will, of people hoping to leave and not suffer any injury," he added, noting that there's no evidence that the man fired the gun, however.
Moore continued, "The vast majority of the injuries that we saw were cut injuries from falls, sprains, ankles and so forth." As for reports that one victim was stabbed and two other women were shot, he said that they have not been confirmed.
