Shooting Erupts Near Nipsey Hussle’s Marathon Burger Grand Opening — 1 Dead, 2 Hurt

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Shooting Erupts Near Nipsey Hussle’s Marathon Burger Grand Opening — 1 Dead, 2 Hurt

A celebration honoring Nipsey Hussle’s legacy turned tragic Sunday when gunfire erupted near the grand opening of a new Marathon Burger location in downtown Long Beach.

According to authorities, the shooting happened just after 3:30 p.m. about half a block south of the event on Broadway near Pine Avenue — just outside the blocked-off perimeter where hundreds had gathered earlier in the day to celebrate the restaurant’s debut.

Police confirmed three men were shot and transported to a hospital. One of the victims later died. The other two were reported to be in stable condition Sunday night. As of now, no suspects are in custody and the investigation remains ongoing.

Witness Eric VanDyke described the frightening scene, saying, “I saw people running. When you see a mass of people running, you know something’s going on, and they ran in one direction, and then the other direction, then somebody said that they heard gunshots.” He added, “It was disappointing because I know that Nip, Black Sam wanted this to be a happy occasion, so it’s unfortunate that something happened that would bring more attention to the negative elements as opposed to the positive elements.”

Nearby resident Seven also reacted to the violence, stating, “That’s devastating, you know what I’m saying, especially being that this is the grand opening. We’re here to honor Nipsey Hussle, the late great, and that’s not what he would have wanted.”

Marathon Burger — the fast food chain founded by the late rapper and his brother Black Sam — continued taking orders as investigators worked behind crime scene tape. A spokesperson told Eyewitness News the incident was not related to the restaurant’s debut, and the company described the opening as a huge success. The violence came just one day after hundreds gathered as the city named the intersection of Slauson and Crenshaw “Nipsey Hussle Square” in honor of the rapper’s life and legacy.