Rapper Quando Rondo was understandably distraught when a shooting in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, killed a member of his entourage on Friday afternoon.
The shooting took place around 5:30 p.m. local time at a gas station located at La Cienega and Beverly boulevards, across the street from the Beverly Center. According to Los Angeles Police Lt. John Radke, three suspects fired several shots into the black Cadillac Escalade.
“We don’t know why or how this happened, all we know is that the victim vehicle, they pulled up, they were pumping gas and it looks like they probably finished pumping gas and the suspects approached from the alley, got out of the car and started shooting at those victims,” Radke explained.
Following the shooting, witnesses said a couple of cars — including the Escalade — fled the area. A short time later, the Cadillac stopped at the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards in West Hollywood, where paramedics were seen treating an undisclosed number of victims.
One 23-year-old man, whose name was not released, was pulled from the vehicle and transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Local ABC reporter Irene Cruz shared video of the scene that showed one victim being removed from the black SUV while another of the vehicle’s passengers reacted to the situation.
BEVERLY GROVE SHOOTING: frantic moments after this man discovered someone in his car had been shot. A shooting started at a gas station in Beverly Grove, took to the streets, and ended in West Hollywood.
I’ve got the full story ahead at 11 p.m. on @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/VWkf1aqXzU
— Irene Cruz (@ABC7Irene) August 20, 2022
The man, who TMZ identified as Savannah rapper Quando Rondo, was clearly distraught as he paced back and forth near the vehicle.
“Noooo! Ohhhhhhhh! Nooooo!” Quando Rondo could be heard repeating as he watched the scene play out. At one point, he appeared to approach the vehicle — but a police officer wearing a flak vest intercepted him and escorted him away from the vehicle.
“Keep everybody back, let’s go,” another officer directed.
A representative for the rapper confirmed to TMZ that he had, in fact, witnessed the scene — but that he had not been injured. “Quando was present during a shooting yesterday evening which resulted in the untimely death of another young man’s life. He himself didn’t sustain any injuries during the shooting and is safe. We ask that his privacy is respected at this time.”