Rapper Nipsey Hussle died of gunshot wounds to the head and torso, the L.A. County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Monday.
Hussle was shot at 3:20 p.m. on Sunday outside Marathon Clothing, his store in the Hyde Park area of South Los Angeles. Police have not yet named a suspect in the killing. A news conference at LAPD headquarters was scheduled for Tuesday morning. Community leaders have sought to discourage people in the neighborhood from retaliating.
The coroner’s office performed the autopsy on Monday afternoon, and confirmed that the manner of death was a homicide. More details will be available when a full autopsy report is released.
Hussle, whose given name was Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was 33 years old.
Hussle was nominated for a Grammy for best rap album for his major label debut, “Victory Lap.” Long before that, he was well known in the South L.A. community for his self-released mixtapes, starting with “Slauson Boy Volume 1,” in 2005.
Hussle had spoken of his affiliation with the Rollin’ 60s Crips, though the motive of the shooting remains unclear. LAPD Chief Michel Moore told reporters Monday that it appears that Hussle knew his assailant. He said the department was reviewing video evidence and attempting to identify the suspect’s vehicle. Moore also called on the shooter to turn himself in.
Hussle was supposed to meet Monday with Moore and Commissioner Steve Soboroff to discuss ways to stop gang violence in the community. That meeting, which would have involved representatives of Roc Nation, has been postponed to allow members of Hussle’s family to participate.