A security guard for Busta Rhymes was shot dead while protecting the set of video shoot outside a warehouse in Brooklyn this weekend, it has been reported.
It’s thought that while the security guard – 29-year-old
Israel Ramirez – was killed, none of the 500 people inside the warehouse, possibly including several high-profile hip-hop stars, were injured.
Usually when rappers play with guns, the outcome tends to either be a bit dumb or tragic. Dumb: Suge Knight possibly shooting himself in his own leg. Tragic: Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur and Jam Master Jay. Dumb: Cam’ron getting his arms shot up. Tragic: Busta Rhymes’ (DVDs) security guard Israel Ramirez being shot on Sunday morning.
As with most hip-hop shootings, details of the exact procession of
events are vague. It’s known that the shooting took place outside the
warehouse where the video for a new Busta Rhymes single – Touch It (The
Remix) – was being filmed. Rappers on the song include Rhymes, Mary J
Blige, 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks. They were all expected at the studio
but, Busta Rhymes aside, it is unclear whether any of them were there
at the time of the shooting. Missy Elliott was also at the studio, but
she left before police could question her, as did Rhymes.
It’s also known that Ramirez was shot once in the chest, and
pronounced dead at Woodhull Hospital Centre at 1:10 am on Sunday
morning. As for the events leading up to the shooting, Newsday reports:
The shooting occurred as a large group of people spilled out from the
warehouse onto the street and several of them began arguing, police
said. The origin of the dispute was not clear, but more than 10 shots
were fired from at least one gun, police sources said. "Everyone started hiding. People started running," said a studio grip,
who declined to be identified, but said he was inside the studio and
hid behind a scissor lift with 20 others. "It was a chain reaction;
people just running everywhere."
In
the hours after the shooting, police were said to have discovered a
pistol around 100 feet from the crimescene. The investigation continues.
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