A deadly shooting sent crowds running near the grand opening of the newest Marathon Burger location in downtown Long Beach on Sunday, turning what was intended as a celebration into a chaotic and tragic scene.<\/p>\n
Police said gunfire erupted just after 3:30 p.m. about half a block south of the event — on Broadway near Pine Avenue — just outside of the perimeter that had been blocked off for the celebration. Hundreds of people had gathered earlier in the day for the opening of a new Marathon Burger location, the fast food chain founded by the late rapper Nipsey Hussle and his brother, Black Sam.<\/p>\n
Witness Eric VanDyke, a relative of Hussle, said he saw the panic unfold.<\/p>\n
“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 said.<\/p>\n
VanDyke said the violence overshadowed the spirit of the day.<\/p>\n
“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,” he said.<\/p>\n
Police said three men were shot and taken to a hospital, where one later died. The other two remained in stable condition on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
“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,” nearby resident Seven said.<\/p>\n
Long Beach police said no suspects were in custody and the investigation remained ongoing. Investigators have not said whether the shooting was connected to the grand opening event. A spokesperson for Marathon Burger, however, told Eyewitness News the incident was not related to the restaurant’s debut.<\/p>\n
Despite the shooting, Marathon Burger called the opening a huge success, saying the restaurant continued to take orders as investigators worked behind crime scene tape just outside the front door.<\/p>\n
The violence came one day after hundreds gathered in South Los Angeles as the city officially named the intersection of Slauson and Crenshaw “Nipsey Hussle Square,” honoring the rapper’s life and legacy.<\/p>\n