Gunfire erupted near where rapper French Montana was filming a music video late Thursday, leaving several wounded in a South Florida strip mall parking lot.
Several witnesses told reporters that the music video involved the 38-year-old rapper, and he was unhurt. His publicist did not respond to emails seeking comment Friday and police did not confirm he was present.
It wasn’t immediately clear how many people were shot at around 8:00 p.m. Thursday, but the Miami Herald cited a law enforcement source saying as many as ten people were wounded. The shooting took place outside The Licking, a soul food restaurant in a Miami Gardens strip mall.
Investigators were looking into reports that a music video was being filmed at the restaurant, Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said.
“We believe it’s an isolated incident,” Noel-Pratt said.
Miami Gardens police spokesperson Diana Gourgue told reporters that she could not confirm reports that as many as ten people had been wounded, saying “right now it is just multiple victims that were injured.”
She said the condition of those hurt was unknown, but there were not any fatalities.
A large crowd had gathered outside the restaurant at the time of the shooting, she said.
The police department did not return repeated calls Friday seeking an update. A worker at the restaurant Friday said no one was available to discuss the shooting. A sign on the door reads “No firearms or weapons allowed on this property.”
Miami rapper CED Mogul told reporters that the shooting happened after someone had their Rolex watch and car keys stolen. He said the video was supposed to be shot at a nearby KFC restaurant, but was moved after an altercation. The city’s police chief told reporters that the video’s producers had not got the necessary permits.
French Montana was shot in the head and seriously wounded in 2003 when two gunmen opened fire outside a New York City recording studio. One of the gunmen accidentally shot the other, killing him.
French Montana, who was born in Morocco and whose given name is Karim Kharbouch, is best known for his 2017 album Jungle Rules and its lead single Unforgettable, which made the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
