Los Angeles, CA – In an effort to skip a preliminary hearing, a Grand Jury has reportedly indicted alleged Nipsey Hussle killer Eric Holder. According to TMZ, new charges have been added as well.
The L.A. County District Attorney had previously charged Holder with four counts, but the D.A. decided to have the case revisited by the Grand Jury.
Not only did the Grand Jury indict Holder on the four previous crimes — premeditated murder, two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a felon — but it also added two counts of assault with a firearm for the victims who survived.
The D.A.’s office declined to explain why they chose to forgo the preliminary hearing — where a judge must determine probable cause of a crime in order to make the defendant stand trial — but it’s reportedly done sometimes if there’s a problem with the evidence.
Nip was shot and killed on March 31 in front of his Marathon Clothing store. Holder was arrested three days later on April 2 and has since pleaded not guilty.
UPDATE: TMZ reports Nipsey Hussle’s alleged killer Eric Holder has since pleaded not guilty and retained O.J. Simpson prosecuting attorney Chris Darden. His bond is set at $5 million.
Holder was formally charged with murder on Thursday (April 3), according to NBC News.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office also charged the 29-year-old Los Angeles resident with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
The Grammy Award-nominated rapper was murdered on Sunday (March 31) after a man, believed to be Holder, shot him at least six times in front of his Marathon Clothing store at the intersection of Slauson Ave. and Crenshaw Ave.
Two other men were also shot but survived.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Nip and Holder had a personal dispute before the shooting. After a two-day manhunt, Holder was arrested on Tuesday afternoon (April 2) in the L.A. suburb of Bellflower.
The man authorities believe is responsible for Nipsey Hussle’s shooting death, Eric Holder, is in police custody. According to CBS Los Angeles, Holder was apprehended in the Los Angeles suburb of Bellflower on Tuesday afternoon (April 2).
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to CBS2 that 29-year-old Eric Holder was caught by deputies sometime before 1:30 p.m. Los Angeles police told CBS2 they were responding to confirm the suspect’s identity as Holder,” the outlet reported.
#BREAKING: The suspect in the shooting death of musician Nipsey Hussle has been captured in Bellflower, authorities say. pic.twitter.com/5P9ItJM3kH
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) April 2, 2019
A woman who was at the scene when Holder was arrested captured video that she promptly shared online. In the clip, she says she works at a mental health facility and was told by a friend the man police think is Holder was being placed in handcuffs.
I don’t know how true this is but I think they got Eric holder bitch ass in custody! pic.twitter.com/leWngydNZb
— Millionaire Murda💰 (@Murdaiish1) April 2, 2019
Police issued an arrest warrant for Holder on Monday night (April 1). Surveillance footage obtained by TMZ appeared to show the suspect in action.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore told reporters Holder approached Nipsey and two other men he was with multiple times Sunday (March 31) — the day of the triple shooting — and spoke with them. Holder then returned and opened fire.
“Mr. Holder walked up on multiple occasions and engaged in a conversation with Nipsey and the others that were there,” Moore said. “He left and subsequently came back armed with a handgun, and purposefully and repeatedly fired, striking and killing Nipsey Hussle.”
TMZ also obtained footage of Holder’s arrest. In the video, six police officers have him surrounded and at least one officer conducts a search of his clothing, presumably looking for weapons.
No further details are available as of now. This story is developing.
The Los Angeles Police Department have identified a suspect who they believe fatally shot Nipsey Hussle on Sunday (March 31). According to a tweet from the LAPD HQ account, a man named Eric Holder is wanted for the homicide.
“Eric Holder is wanted for Homicide in the shooting of Nipsey Hussle,” the tweet reads. “He was last seen in a 2016 white 4 door Chevy Cruze CA license plate 7RJD742. Anyone with information related to his whereabouts or this deadly shooting is urged to contact South Bureau Homicide at 323-786-5100.”
Eric Holder is wanted for Homicide in the shooting of Nipsey Hussle. He was last seen in a 2016 white 4 door Chevy Cruze CA license plate 7RJD742. Anyone with information related to his whereabouts or this deadly shooting is urged to contact South Bureau Homicide at 323-786-5100 pic.twitter.com/3pX4fbezDs
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) April 2, 2019
In the accompanying news release, the LAPD explains the man they think is Holder walked up to three men standing outside of the Marathon Clothing store on Crenshaw and Slauson. He then started shooting, striking all three men.
As previously reported, the alleged suspect actually returned a second time to continue firing. He then fled southbound through an adjacent alley to the awaiting vehicle, a 2016 white 4-door Chevy Cruze. The surveillance video obtained by TMZ corroborates the account.
The two other men who were also shot were rushed to the hospital where they were listed in stable condition. Nipsey was pronounced dead soon after he arrived to the hospital by ambulance.
