Police have widened
their investigation of a murder that occurred Sunday (Feb. 5) on the set of
Busta Rhymes’ new music video.
In addition to
seeking out G-Unit rapper Tony Yayo, authorities are now looking to question
Swizz Beats and Busta Rhymes himself.
Detectives believe
Busta Rhymes was standing on the sidewalk when the shooting took place. Authorities
also believe the gunman may have escaped in Tony Yayo’s car.
Israel Ramirez,
29, was shot in the back around 12:30 a.m. in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn,
N.Y. Busta Rhymes was shooting the video for a remix to his single, "Touch
It."
Guests in the video
included Mary J. Blige, Lloyd Banks, Swizz Beatz, Missy Elliott and other big
name celebrities.
Police are investigating
whether a feud between Swizz Beatz and G-Unit could have led to the shooting.
Swizz Beatz’ artist,
Cassidy, who was recently convicted of involuntary manslaughter, lyrically attacked
G-Unit head 50 Cent in the video for Cassidy’s "B-Boy Stance."
50 Cent took verbal
shots at Cassidy in his own video for "Piggy Bank," while Ruff Ryders
artist Jadakiss has had a very public feud with 50 Cent and G-Unit.
Sources said G-Unit
members were berating Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean and his uncles Darrin
"Dee" Dean and Joaquin "Waah" Dean, both heads of Ruff Ryders.
Other reports stated
that Lloyd Banks refused to record his part of the video with Swizz Beatz in
the room.
An argument ensued
and studio security ordered a group of men outside the building. According to
reports, Busta Rhymes followed the men outside in an attempt to calm the escalating
argument.
The group of men
began to push and shove each other "when an individual took out a gun and
fired at least eight shots," said New York Police Department Commissioner
Raymond Kelly.
While Busta Rhymes
originally told police he was inside of the building, a member of Ramirez’ family
said that the rapper told them he had witnessed the shooting.
Amelin Fernandez,
Ramirez’ wife, told the New York Daily News that Ramirez and another bodyguard
for Busta Rhymes was shielding the rapper when the gunman opened fire at someone
behind the three men.
"It has nothing
to do with you; just get out of the way," the gunman allegedly told Ramirez
as he opened fire, striking the 29-year-old and fatally wounding him.
Yayo and other
members of G-Unit allegedly fled the scene and authorities believe the gunman
may have fled with Tony Yayo. Ironically, Ramirez had provided security to 50
Cent at one point in his career.
"He is not
a suspect. They did not indicate he was a target at all," Tony Yayo’s attorney, Scott Leemon said
The lawyer also
told the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office that Yayo would not voluntarily
answer any police questions about the shooting and requested not to be contacted
by the NYPD.
Fernandez claimed
that Busta Rhymes told her he was right next to Ramirez when the shooting occurred
and that the rapper was trying to explain what happened, but "everyone
was in shock."
Police confiscated
video footage from the video shoot as well as footage that an MTV camera crew
took of the shooting during the day.
Ramirez took the
stand at the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs’ and Jamal "Shyne"
Barrow’s gun-possession and assault trial.
He testified that
Combs did not have a weapon in his hand during a shoot-out at Club New York
in Dec. 1999.
According to reports,
Busta Rhymes has offered to pay for Ramirez’ funeral.
