News

Suge Knight Sought by Police in Fatal Hit-and-Run

Suge Knight was allegedly behind the wheel of a fatal hit-and-run accident this afternoon in Compton, California that left one person dead and another man injured. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department released a statement confirming that an accident had occurred, with The Hollywood Reporter adding that the incident took place after filming had finished on a promotional shoot for the upcoming N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton

According to TMZ, Knight and his friend Terry Carter were visiting the set when security guards asked the former Death Row exec to leave. After exiting the vehicle, Knight then got into a fight with two crewmembers before Knight hopped back into his vehicle and gunned it into reverse. However, Carter was allegedly attempting to reenter the vehicle by going behind the vehicle toward the passenger door when Knight hit him. Carter was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Knight followed the men in his truck after the fight before running them over. The truck reportedly hit the men and subsequently backed over them.

After initially declining to name a suspect in the incident, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department later issued a BOLO (“Be on the look out”) alert to law enforcement agencies for Knight, adding that he was a suspect in a homicide investigation.

Billboard spoke to Knight’s Las Vegas-based lawyer James Blatt who confirmed the incident but wouldn’t elaborate on his client’s involvement. “Facts are all over the place right now,” Blatt said. Los Angeles Times notes that the lawyer has been in contact with Knight since the incident and are discussing their “next steps,” likely an arranged surrender to police.

Actor Cle “Bone” Sloan was also hit by the vehicle and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injures; the Sheriff’s Department declined to give an update on his status. Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and the Game were reportedly all on set for the promotional shoot but had left before the accident occurred.

In August 2014, Knight was shot six times during a MTV VMA pre-party in Los Angeles. After being hospitalized and undergoing surgery, Knight was released three days later.