Busta Rhymes is wanted for questioning by police following the fatal shooting on Sunday on the set of his new video, Touch It (Remix).
Although Busta, real name Trevor Smith, is not a suspect, police detectives believe that he was on the street outside the Brooklyn studio where the shooting took place, and may therefore provide key information in the slaying of his bodyguard, Israel Ramirez.
“We believe Busta Rhymes may have been on the street when the shooting took place,” said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, the New York Times reports.
Ramirez, 29, was shot once in the chest; Rhymes was uninjured. He and several others left the scene before authorities arrived. Police are keen to speak to anyone who was on set at the time and may have witnessed something of significance.
AD LOADING...
The incident took place around 1:30 a.m., outside the industrial warehouse where the video shoot was in full swing. Stars including Missy Elliot and the members of G-Unit were all due to start filming when the violence erupted.
In the latest police reports, the authorities are also looking to question Tony Yayo, who reportedly had an argument with other people in the studio sometime before the shooting.
Police believe this was the result of an argument that began inside the warehouse and “moved to the street”. “There was some pushing and shoving going on when an individual took out a gun and fired at least eight shots,” Kelly said.
Yayo denies any involvement in the murder, and in a letter to prosecutors, his lawyer Scott Leemon wrote: “Please make sure he is not contacted and/or harassed by NYPD.”
AD LOADING...
