Eric Holder: Police arrest suspected Nipsey Hussle killer over fatal shooting in LA
Los Angeles police officer Jeffrey Lee says 29-year-old Holder was captured on Tuesday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The prime suspect in the killing of rapper Nipsey Hussle has been arrested and taken into custody, police said.
Eric Holder was picked up in Bellflower, a Los Angeles-area city about 20 miles southeast of where Hussle was gunned down two days earlier, officer Jeffrey Lee said.
The 29-year-old is alleged to have shot the rapper dead outside his clothes shop on Sunday afternoon. Two other men were injured, before Holder allegedly climbed into a waiting car with a woman and fled the scene.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) had put out a wanted notice for him, appealing for the public's help to trace him,
Investigators have said they believe the 33-year-old Hussle and Holder were acquaintances who got into a personal dispute. Holder is alleged to have returned with a gun and killled the rapper.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore had earlier told a press conference that Holder “walked up” to Hussle on “multiple occasions” and engaged in a conversation with the rapper and two other men, then left and came back with a handgun.
He did not reveal how the two men were allegedly acquainted or offer any details about their reported dispute.
Hussle was well respected in hip-hop inner circles and broke out with his Grammy-nominated major label debut last year.
The killing came amid a spike in gun violence in the area.
“Nipsey Hussle represents the enormity of the lives we have lost,” the chief said.
At the same press conference Los Angeles' mayor Eric Garcetti announced plans to deploy new resources to try to roll back the violence.
The police chief and the president of the city’s Police Commission had been scheduled to meet with Hussle on Monday to discuss the relationship between the police force and the inner city.
Additional reporting by agencies