What began as a highly anticipated grand opening for a new restaurant in Long Beach to honor the legacy of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle, turned into chaos on Sunday afternoon when gunshots rang out shortly after 3 p.m. near Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach, leaving one person dead and two others injured.
Independent recording artist Jonathan Alberto was at the local 7/11 convenience store across the street right before the disruption.
“I just grabbed something to drink at the 7/11 and heard people arguing in the distance, but really didn’t think anything of it. About ten minutes later I heard the shots, but I was already heading to my car so I didn’t see it,” said Alberto.
Hundreds gathered in downtown Long Beach for the opening of Marathon Burger, including current and former Long Beach City College students. Some fans arrived as early as 4 a.m. to secure a place in line for the restaurant’s smash-style burgers when the event started at noon for a chance to be among the first 100 guests to receive free meals.
Hundreds of people gather around the new restuarant Marathon Burger in Long Beach, California on it’s grand opening on March 1. The restaurant is dedicated to honor rapper Nipsey Hussle and continue his Marathon brand. (Keith Lewis)
Participant Marcus Ricard and his sister Alexis Ricard, who travelled from Anaheim, California, were one of the first in line to receive the free burger promotion.
“We ended up getting our food and finishing it around 2:45 p.m., it was fire! Our car was parked on Broadway so we got to our car right before things went left. As we were driving off, we saw a bunch of cops driving by the area where we parked,” said Marcus.
Aside from getting a free burger they wanted to show their love for the Marathon brand as a whole.
“Nipsey Hussle motivated me after high school to be better and do better in life. Right now I have my own fashion line I’m working on, I do music and I trade online,” said Marcus.
The event featured appearances by owner Blacc Sam, Hussle’s brother, rapper Snoop Dogg and his son Cordell Broadus, who are both investors in Marathon Burger’s Long Beach location, and rapper YG.
Power 106 radio host Big Boy and Long Beach mayor Rex Richardson were also at the opening.
Power 106 FM radio host Big Boy arrives at the grand opening of Marathon Burger in downtown Long Beach, California on March 1. Big boy has been Power 106’s radio host personality for close to two decades. (Keith Lewis)
Music from Power 106’s DJ Wavy provided a plethora of Nipsey Hussle’s music catalog and filled the street as attendees enjoyed an ice cream from Dr. Bombay and airbrush tattoos from Karen’s Facepainting.
Karen Nagy, the owner of Karen’s Facepainting provided attendees with airbrushed tattoos during the event.
“We are here to keep the marathon going. Nipsey was big on community involvement and coming out here today we are doing our part to keep the Hussle legacy alive in Long Beach,” said Nagy.
After brief remarks from event speakers, a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opened the restaurant to a packed crowd.
Long Beach Polytechnic High School cheerleaders and band perform at the grand opening for Marathon Burger’s new location in downtown Long Beach on March 1. (Keith Lewis)
Brian Burton, an LBCC student who was among the first 100 people in line, said the excitement throughout the morning felt like a community celebration.
“I ended up getting through the VIP section. I woke up and went out exercising. I started to see people popping up, so I ended up staying around,” Burten said.
Burton also works at LBCC’s Justice Scholars reentry program assisting those seeking higher education after being freed from incarceration.
About 2 and a half hours after the ribbon was cut, gunshots were heard on the corner of Broadway Street and Pine Avenue. Attendees began running and ducking for cover as confusion spread throughout Pine Avenue.
Preliminary reports indicate that one person died and two others were injured according to Los Angeles news KTLA 5. The incident remains under investigation.
For many LBCC students in attendance, the event was meant to celebrate entrepreneurship and community ownership associated with Nipsey Hussle’s Marathon brand. Instead, the afternoon ended in a state of panic.
Despite the disruption, the restaurant later resumed operation serving their version of a smash-style burger.
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