California rapper Indian Red Boy was shot dead while on Instagram Live for allegedly disrespecting Nipsey Hussle mural.
Rap has lost yet another artist to gun violence. The news came to light after a report from KCAL 9 News indicated that 21-year-old, Zerail Dijon Rivera, whose stage name is Indian Red Boy, was shot and killed while sitting in his car.
The disturbing incident took place last week on July 8 at the 14100 block of Chadron Avenue in Hawthorne on Thursday afternoon (July 8). More details of the incident were made available by the Los Angeles Police Department. According to them, he was pronounced dead at the scene. In some even more disturbing news, it seems the rapper was shot dead while he was on Instagram Live talking to a friend identified as Kapone.
Video has since emerged, which shows the moment a volley of gunfire is heard while the conversation is going on. Then in some even sadder footage, in the graphic video making the rounds online, Indian Red Boy is seen bleeding from his nose as he gasps and says, “Get help.”
His friend can be heard shouting in the background, “Where you at?”. Red Boy Indian then replies, “Hawthorne,” before slipping into unconsciousness.
Speaking on behalf of the Hawthorne Police Department, Lieutenant Ti Goetz tried to give some more details about what happened.
“It appears to have been a walk-up shooting and he appears to have been targeted … he appears to be a gang member,” he told members of the press. Other rumors that have begun circulating on social media seem to support this theory. Some have suggested that the young rapper was a member of the Bloods gang and killed after he disrespected a mural erected in the late Nipsey Hussle’s name. It’s no secret that Nipsey Hussle often endorsed the Rolling 60’s Crips.
If true, the original defacing of the mural happened back in May and was posted to YouTube. In that video, the Nipsey mural is defaced with red paint, which reads “Victory Lap HBD.” Someone in the same video is also heard saying, “the second time in one week.”
Nipsey Hussle’s death stunned the world in 2019. He was shot to death as well. He was outside of his Marathon Clothing store in South Central Los Angeles. According to AP News, on March 31, 2019, after Hussle calmly told Eric Holder he was gaining a reputation as a “snitch,” the 29-year-old Holder shot and killed the 33-year-old Hussle. Holder has since pleaded not guilty. He is also believed to be a member of Rolling 60’s Crips.
Last month Holder appeared in court with a new lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Aaron Jansen, who called for the case to move forward.
“A lot of the work was done by my predecessor. Hopefully, by the end of the year, maybe early December, we can go to trial,” he told the Daily News at the time. A follow-up hearing has been set for September 7.
Jansen also revealed that Holder’s defense may be pinned on his mental health.
“He does have a significant mental health history. One of the things affecting him [in March 2019] was that his mother had just passed away. He was pretty despondent,” he said.
Police have not held anyone for Indian Red Boy’s murder and are still searching for suspects in the incident. The rapper’s friend who originally captured the Instagram Live video paid tribute to the slain rapper on July 10. In a worrying and seemingly worsening trend, at least 10 rappers have been murdered for the year so far.
