Man Charged With Murder in Fatal Shooting of Rapper Nipsey Hussle: DA

The man accused of fatally shooting rapper Nipsey Hussle pleaded not guilty to charges during his arraignment on Thursday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday. Eric Holder was charged with a single count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possessions of a firearm by felon, according to a news release from the DA’s office. The complaint also alleges he used a firearm and caused great bodily injury and death.

Holder was arraigned in a downtown L.A. courtroom on Thursday afternoon. His next scheduled court appearance is set for May 10, according to prosecutors. The 29-year-old was arrested in Bellflower on Tuesday afternoon following a tip from the general public, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Holder is accused of fatally shooting the Grammy-nominated artist outside his clothing store in the Hyde Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon, LAPD officials said. Hussle, 33, died of gunshot wounds to the head and torso, according to the L.A. County coroner’s office. Two others were wounded in the incident. The following day, police identified Holder as the suspect in the slaying, indicating he had been involved with some type of personal dispute with Hussle. Hours after LAPD Chief Michel Moore urged the suspect to surrender, he was captured in Bellflower. A witness who asked to remain anonymous told KTLA he called 911 after noticing a man screaming and acting strange in the 9900 block of Artesia Boulevard. L.A. County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene and detained the man until LAPD homicide detectives responded and positively identified him as Holder, police said. The suspect was then booked on suspicion of murder. He is being held on $5 million bail, prosecutors said. Holder faces up to life in prison if convicted on all charges, according to the DA’s office. KTLA’s Dianne Sanchez contributed to this story.  Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Nipsey Hussle had won a Grammy. He was nominated for best rap album for “Victory Lap” in 2018. The post has been updated.