L.A. Rapper Half Ounce Dead, Killed While On Phone With Pregnant Wife
An aspiring Los Angeles rap artist was shot and killed while talking on the phone with his pregnant wife.
According to the LAPD, rapper Half Ounce, real name Latauriisha O’Brien, was gunned down on Tuesday evening (Oct. 4) in the 700 block of South New Hampshire Avenue around 11:30 p.m. local time. The LAPD’s Olympic division, responding to numerous reports of shots fired in the area, discovered O’Brien in front of an apartment building with multiple gunshot wounds. The rapper was pronounced dead at the scene.
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According to sources, O’Brien and a friend were walking down the street when a dark-colored SUV pulled up alongside the pair and began firing several rounds in their direction. O’Brien, who was on the phone with his wife at the time of the shooting, was hit, while his friend, who has yet to be identified, was able to flee the scene. Upon hearing the gunshots, O’Brien’s wife, who is pregnant with the rapper’s fourth child, rushed to the scene on foot, according to Fox 11. The suspected gunman, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle, is described as a Black male who was wearing dark clothing, sped away from the scene following the shooting and is still at large.
Authorities are looking through security footage and other surveillance video in the area and an investigation into the shooting, the identity of O’Brien’s friend, and a possible motive is underway. O’Brien is survived by two sons, 9 months and 2, as well as a daughter who is 8. According to relatives, his wife is due to deliver his fourth child in March 2023.
Prior to his death, Half Ounce, who had a sizable following on social media, released multiple songs this year, including “Gangbanging” and “About It.” In his last post on Instagram, the rapper promoted his forthcoming single, “Drop The Ball,” which was slated to be released on Oct. 14.
