The man killed during a high-profile shooting at the Beverley Center in Beverley Hills, California today was Atlanta rapper Dolla, sources have confirmed with AllHipHop.com.
Dolla, born Roderick Anthony Burton II, hailed from East Atlanta and Los Angeles. He was signed to Akons Konvict Muzik imprint.
UPDATED
Los Angeles police have charged 23-year-old Aubrey Berry with the murder of 21-year-old Atlanta rap artist Dolla (real name Roderick Anthony Burton II. The promising young rapper was shot was shot in the head Monday afternoon in the parking garage of the popular Beverly Center while dozens of shoppers ran for cover, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. He died at nearby Cedars Sinai hospital.
Police arrested Berry at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was trying to board a flight out of town, authorities said. He was one of two suspects who allegedly fled from the shopping mall in a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV after the shooting. TMZ reported that Berry told police he knew why they were there at LAX, "and then raised his hands and told them he had a 9 millimeter handgun in his waistband."
He was charged with murder and bail was set at $1 million. Police have another "person of interest" in custody, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Dolla's rep said a man and woman had been trailing the rapper before the shooting. It is also alleged that Dolla had gotten into an altercation with other passengers on a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles, but its unclear if that was related to the violence.
He was in LA to work on his new album, "A Dolla & A Dream," according to Rolling Stone. He was in the mall with rappers DJShabbazz and Scrapp DeLeon.
It's unspeakably sad that so many young men are gunned down this way. Our hearts and prayers are with the families and friends of all who have lost their young this way.
RIP Dolla.
-- Edited by seanp on Wednesday 20th of May 2009 09:45:59 AM