PnB Rock was shot dead in a Los Angeles restaurant not long after his location was revealed in a social media post. The latest killing in a growing trend of stars being targeted in the west coast city.
ADVERTISEMENTUS rapper PnB Rock was killed during a shooting at a South Los Angeles restaurant.
The police suspect the rapper’s location being shared on social media may have tipped the assailant. So far, three people have been charged with his murder.
PnB Rock, real name Rakim Allen, was eating at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles with his girlfriend when he was gunned down. Police reports say a robber approached their table and demanded they hand over items.
The verbal exchange ended when the as-yet-unidentified robber opened fire, striking PnB Rock multiple times, fatally wounding him.
The suspect removed personal items from the rapper before running to a waiting car to flee the scene.
PnB Rock was pronounced dead 45 minutes later in hospital.
Since the shooting, three people have been arrested in relation to the case.
Freddie Trone, 40, and his 17-year-old son were arrested and have been charged with one count of murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, and two counts of second-degree robbery.
In the week since their arrest, Shauntel Trone, 38, was also arrested and been charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact. Shauntel is the 17-year-old's step mother.
The teen, whose name has not been released due to his age, is the lead suspect as the man who shot PnB Rock. It is believed that Freddie Trone was the getaway driver.
In a since deleted Instagram post, the rapper’s girlfriend had tagged him and posted the location of the couple. Detectives are now investigating whether this post is what led to the attack, police Chief Michel Moore told the Los Angeles Times.
He “was with his family — with his girlfriend or some kind of friend of his -- and as they're there, enjoying a simple meal, (he) was brutally attacked by an individual who apparently (came) to the location after a social media posting,” Moore said.
This narrative is now less definitive as Trone and his son were allegedly already in the restaurant's car park when the post was made.
However, the knowledge of the location of PnB Rock has opened the police's search for a fourth individual who may have tipped off the group.
The Philadelphia rapper rose to fame with his 2016 hit ‘Selfish’. He also made guest appearances on multiple other artists’ work, including Ed Sheeran, Chance the Rapper and XXXTentacion.
Alongside multiple mixtapes, the rapper released two albums ‘Catch These Vibes’ in 2017 and ‘Trapstar Turnt Popstar’ in 2019.
The R&B styled rapper’s moniker was inspired by the Philadelphia street corner he grew up near in Germantown called Pastorius and Baynton.
PnB Rock’s murder was first reported by TMZ alongside a graphic video of the rapper after the attack.
ADVERTISEMENTIn a recent interview, PnB Rock spoke about the gang culture in Los Angeles and how robberies of rappers are becoming common in the city, calling criminals “bold.” He told a story about a group of people who followed him, his girlfriend and child.
Tributes and testament
DJ Akademiks, who conducted the interview responded to the news on Twitter saying “I just did an interview with him a week ago where he detailed how someone tried to rob him in LA recently while he was out with his girlfriend and daughter.”
Rapper Nicki Minaj responded to the news worrying about the role of social media in the killing.
“After Pop Smoke there’s no way we as rappers or our loved ones are still posting locations to our whereabouts.”
But DJ Akademiks has also responded to suggestions his girlfriend is to blame.
ADVERTISEMENT“A lot of ppl hurt over the passing of PNB Rock.. everyone passing blame to everyone but the nigga who actually killed him....... the reason why he got killed is because some bum ass nigga decided to try to rob him and take his life. Everything else is extra.”
Tributes have flooded in for the murdered rapper. His label Atlantic Records have called him a great friend and a “wonderful father to two beautiful little girls.”
Rapper KSI tweeted “RIP PNB Rock. I’m just so upset, I’m sorry. My favourite artists are just getting killed man.
It’s not fair. It’s just not fair.”
