Rapper Lil Theze was reportedly shot and killed by a retired police captain, Thursday, while attempting to rob him in downtown Oakland. The Vallejo rapper had collaborated with SOB x RBE in the past.
The retired officer, Ersie Joyner, was pumping gas when three suspects approached from a black sedan and attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Surveillance footage from the shooting reveals that Joyner allowed the men to enter his vehicle, before getting the jump on them with a firearm of his own.
Larry W. Smith / Getty Images
While exchanging fire, Joyner struck two of the men, killing Theze and wounding the other. Police theorize that a fourth suspect worked as the group’s getaway driver.
Police have yet to officially identify the robbers; however, VladTV reports that the deceased man is Theze.
Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong says that the shooting “highlights the violence that we’ve seen in this city this entire year. We have seen so many tragic situations. We have seen so many people lose their lives as a result of violence.”
Joyner was also shot during the altercation and rushed to a local hospital to undergo emergency surgery after authorities arrived.
“This hits deep, absolutely,” said Oakland City Council member Loren Taylor. “Someone who dedicated his life to keeping other people safe, to have this happen to him, where he is the victim of violent crime, it’s tragic.”
[Via]