BUSTA, YAYO WANTED FOR QUESTIONING IN SHOOTING: Also, SOHH.com reports Busta was the target, not his bodyguard.
February 7, 2006
Busta Rhymes
*SOHH.com is quoting a witness who says the bullet that killed a security guard outside of Busta Rhymes’ video shoot Sunday (Feb. 5) was meant for the rapper himself.
According to the Web site, 29-year-old Israel Ramirez, who had recently been hired to guard Busta’s jewelry, was shot and killed shortly after midnight outside of the Kiss The Cactus Production studio in the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn, NY.
A source told SOHH exclusively: “The guy went to shoot Busta Rhymes and the bodyguard jumped in front... and took the bullet. The dude was gonna shoot Busta Rhymes.”
Eyewitnesses say the shooting followed an argument that began inside the studio and spilled outside. Ramirez reportedly got caught up in the fight while trying to usher folks out of the studio.
Another eyewitness told SOHH exclusively: "I saw [Ramirez] come up to the door guy. They whispered back and forth and then I heard [Ramirez] say that something might happen."
Once the fight moved outdoors, police say “there was some pushing and shoving going on when an individual took out a gun and fired at least eight shots.”
According to police, the make of the gun used in the shooting has not been confirmed. Conflicting reports have the shots coming from either an AK47, 9mm or a .45. Eight spent shells were recovered, police say.
Busta, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was at the studio to film a video for the remix to “Touch It” on the 9th floor soundstage. According to the New York Daily News, Busta, Missy Elliott and G-Unit members, including Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, were part of about 500 people on the scene. They were about to begin filming when the scuffle and gunfire erupted outside of the building at around 1:30 a.m., resulting in the death of Ramirez.
According to the New York Post, police are having difficulties contacting Busta Rhymes and at least 50 other people believed to have witnessed the shooting. Police are also attempting to question a reluctant Tony Yayo, who was said to have gotten into a heated argument earlier in the day that was eventually squashed by Busta. Yayo, whose real name is Marvin Bernard, denies any involvement in the shooting. In a letter to prosecutors, Yayo’s lawyer Scott Leemon said his client would refuse to voluntarily answer any questions from law enforcement.
“Please make sure he is not contacted and/or harassed by NYPD,” the letter said.
Police are also planning to seek a court order to obtain video shot inside the warehouse, believing it might provide clues about what sparked the shooting.
“Obviously, we’re very much interested in the filming that went on,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters at police headquarters. “So all of that film will be examined with a subpoena.”