LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Tennessee rapper was shot and critically wounded outside of a landmark Hollywood hotel Tuesday, and investigators are looking into whether he was targeted as part of a hip-hop rivalry more than six months after surviving a hail of gunfire shot at his SUV in North Carolina, law enforcement officials said.
The Memphis rapper, known as Young Dolph, 32, was shot in an altercation with three men outside Loews Hollywood hotel, near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, Los Angeles police Det. Meghan Aguilar said.
Young Dolph, whose real name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was confronted by the men outside, leading to a physical fight, Aguilar said. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot Young Dolph, who was left critically injured, according to Aguilar.
Detectives are investigating whether the shooting is connected to a rivalry with another hip-hop artist, a law enforcement official said.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Police had initially reported that a gold Cadillac Escalade was seen fleeing the scene, but the car was later found abandoned at a nearby gas station. One person had been detained after the shooting and police were still looking for at least two other suspects Tuesday night, authorities said.
Young Dolph had escaped injury in February after his SUV was barraged with bullets in Charlotte, North Carolina. Investigators later recovered more than 100 shell casings that had been fired from various guns at several homes and vehicles, including Young Dolph’s SUV. The rapper later said he had custom bulletproof panels in the SUV.
Dolph released an album in April titled, “Bulletproof” that referenced the shooting in Charlotte and ranked number 36 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Three people were arrested in May in connection with that shooting.
