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The suspected shooter behind the murder of Atlanta rapper Roderick Anthony Burton, also known as “Dolla,” was charged with one count of murder and two counts of assault with a fire arm.
Prosecutors say a Georgia man Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, shot and killed Burton as he waited at a valet stand at the Beverly Center Mall in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, according to the Associated Press. Berry fled the scene in a silver Mercedes Benz SUV and was later apprehended at an LAX ticket counter. He is currently being held on a $1.1 million bail and could potentially face a life sentence.
Los Angeles World Airports spokeswoman Nancy Castles said in a statement Monday, “the suspect was detained without incident [and] discovered to be armed.”
According to the L.A. Times, Berry’s attorney, Howard R. Price, said a verbal dispute between the rapper and his entourage in a restaurant bathroom at the Beverly Center left his client feeling threatened. “This is not a murder case,” Price said. “At worst it’s a manslaughter case, at best it’s a case of self defense.”
Officials have yet to determine a motive behind Burton’s murder, however, the victim’s publicist, Sue Vannasing, said the rapper got into a fight with a passenger on a flight from Atlanta to L.A.
LAPD Sergeant Ronnie Crump confirmed that shots rang out around 3:15 p.m. Monday on the ground floor of the mall leaving outdoor diners ducking to safety. Burton was shot in the head and rushed to Cedar Sinai Medical Center where he later died. He was 21-years-old.
The rising rap star was in L.A. to record his album that was scheduled to debut this summer on Jive Records. He was already well know for numerous singles including tracks on the 2006 film “Step Up” soundtrack, in addition to two collaborations with Akon called “Like This” and “She So Fine.”
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