Stevie Wonder was in attendance at the Marathon Burger grand opening in Long Beach, California, on Sunday afternoon before a shooting broke out nearby. The attack left one person dead and at least two others injured. A representative for Marathon Burger has confirmed that the incident was not connected to the restaurant's opening.
“The opening was a huge success with strong community support," the spokesperson told CBS News. "There was an incident nearby, but it was not connected to the event. The opening itself proceeded safely and without issue."
In one video on social media, Stevie Wonder orders food and speaks with Nipsey Hussle's brother, Blacc Sam. He was one of several celebrities in attendance. YG, Snoop Dogg, and others also made appearances.
The Marathon Burger Instagram account shared a clip of Snoop at the event as well, in which he remarks: “We thank y’all for coming out, we love y’all. L.B.C in the house tonight.” In the caption, the company wrote: “Don’t let the media fool you. It was a beautiful energy in the atmosphere today. It was so packed and powerful someone had to hate on it.”
Marathon Burger Shooting Update
Police are still investigating the incident, and a motive remains unclear. “The motive, circumstances of the shooting, and suspect information remain under investigation,” Long Beach Police Department spokesperson Andrea Moran said, according to the Long Beach Post.
Eric VanDyke, a relative of Nipsey Hussle, told ABC7 that the late rapper would've wanted the event to be peaceful. "It was disappointing because I know that Nip, Blacc Sam [Nipsey Hussle’s brother] 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,” he said.
The shooting comes after the city of Los Angeles renamed the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue as "Nipsey Hussle Square."
