A shooting near the opening of a burger restaurant in Long Beach, California, has left one person dead and at least two injured. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon as crowds gathered at Marathon Burger, a fast-food restaurant envisioned by the late rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was killed in 2019.
Police confirmed that the shooting began half a block away from the event at around 3.30 pm. Witnesses described chaos as panicked diners fled the scene. Tyerae Bailey told KTLA that around 50 to 60 people were waiting in line when gunfire was heard. “It was literally chaos for like 10 or 15 seconds. I ducked behind one of the little boards you take photos at over there,” he said.
Three adult men in their twenties were rushed to hospital, with one later dying. A spokesperson for Marathon Burger said the shooting was not connected to the restaurant’s opening, describing it as a “huge success with strong community support.” The opening had been attended by celebrities including Stevie Wonder and Snoop Dogg, who had left before the gunfire.
The motive behind the shooting remains unknown, and no arrests have been made. The incident occurred a day after a ceremony renaming a nearby intersection as Nipsey Hussle Square. Eric VanDyke, a relative of Hussle, expressed disappointment, saying the rapper would have wanted the opening to be a “happy occasion.”
