A crowd at a last-minute memorial for late rapper XXXTentacion turned rowdy in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to arrive on the scene in tactical gear to order hundreds of fans to disperse, a spokesperson for the LAPD tells TheWrap.
“The crowd began throwing chunks of concrete and bottles at our officers, one was struck in the leg,” Josh Rubenstein, public information director for the LAPD, said. “Non-lethal rounds were fired at those individuals to stop the action. The crowd eventually dispersed and nobody was transported to the hospital as a result of the crowd control and there were no arrests.”
Rubenstein said officers were authorized to use tear gas, but reports that the option was utilized are “erroneous.”
The LAPD confirmed to TheWrap the Los Angeles Times‘ report that the street memorial drew up to 1,000 people at its peak, some of whom climbed onto rooftops and blocked traffic by swarming around moving cars. The Times reports that at least one person climbed onto a news van.
Officer Tony Im told the Times the group did not obtain a permit for the event, so it was most likely organized through social media.
Watch Live: Hundreds are gathering at Melrose and Spaulding for the late rapper @xxxtentacion https://t.co/aQYR0h0ryt pic.twitter.com/sgM7xC5tA7
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) June 20, 2018
XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, was shot Monday afternoon. He was transported to an area hospital where he lapsed into a coma and later died from his injuries, according to the sheriff’s office. He was 20.
According to the sheriff’s office, XXXTentacion was leaving RIVA Motorsports in Deerfield Beach, Florida, shortly before 4 p.m. when he was approached by two armed suspects.
At least one of the suspects fired a gun, striking the rapper. Both of the suspects fled in a dark-color SUV. Investigators said it appears to be a possible robbery.
The rapper, whose second album “?” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2017, was shopping for motorcycles in Deerfield Beach outside of Miami when he was shot and killed by a gunman, according to TMZ.
Authorities have received “many tips” in the shooting death of rapper XXXTentacion.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said via Twitter on Tuesday that social media had been particularly useful in generating tips.