Murder of Alton McDonald
| Murder of Alton McDonald | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Compton, California, U.S. |
| Date | April 3, 2002 |
Attack type | Shooting |
| Motive | Rivalry between Mob Pirus and Fruit Town Pirus |
| Accused | Shooter: George "G." Williams |
On April 3, 2002, Alton "Buntry" McDonald (February 5, 1966 – April 3, 2002), a member of the Mob Piru Bloods and a production manager at Death Row Records,[1] was shot dead at a gas station in Compton, California. The murder was believed to be the result of fighting between two rival "sets" of the Bloods, the Mob Pirus and the Fruit Town Pirus.[2]
Events[edit]
Background[edit]
McDonald was a close friend of Suge Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records and worked as a production manager at the record label.[1] McDonald was also a friend of Tupac Shakur and was involved in the beating of Orlando Anderson on September 7, 1996, at the MGM Grand, which occurred a few hours before Shakur was shot.[3]
By 2002, a rivalry developed between two sets of the Bloods, the Mob Piru, which Death Row Records was affiliated with, and the Fruit Town Piru.[2] Several associates of Death Row Records were killed as a result of this rivalry.[4]
Shooting[edit]
On April 3, 2002, McDonald was filling up his car at a gas station in Compton, when a pickup truck pulled up near him. George Williams opened fire with a handgun and McDonald was hit several times in the chest.[5] He was taken to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where he died shortly after. Later that day, Suge Knight visited the hospital to pay his respects to McDonald's family.[6]
Aftermath[edit]
In January 2003, Gary "Gary G" Phillips, who was allegedly involved in the shooting of McDonald, was shot and wounded by two of Suge Knight's associates, Terran Andrews and Gregory Shelton.[7]
Depictions in media[edit]
- McDonald is mentioned in Tupac Shakur's song "To Live & Die in L.A." (1996), from his album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.
- McDonald is portrayed in two episodes of Unsolved (2018), where he is played by Calvin Tenner.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Tupac Pal Shot To Death". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
Authorities say a former production manager for Death Row Records was shot to death as he filled up his car at a gas station.
- ^ a b Winton, Richard (2003-01-22). "Probe of Rap Shootings Leads to Charges Against 2". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
The spate of shootings under investigation stemmed from a rivalry between two Blood gangs, the Mob Pirus and the Fruit Town Pirus, law enforcement officials said.
- ^ "Tupac Pal Shot To Death". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
the three reportedly had been involved in a brawl, which was captured on hotel surveillance cameras.
- ^ Philips, Chuck (2003-07-31). "As Associates Fall, Is 'Suge' Knight Next?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ "Tupac Pal Shot To Death". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ "Tupac Pal Shot To Death". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
On Wednesday, Knight went to the hospital to visit McDonald and later paid his respects to McDonald's family, who live in Compton.
- ^ Winton, Richard (2003-01-22). "Probe of Rap Shootings Leads to Charges Against 2". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. (TV Mini Series 2018– ) - IMDb, retrieved 2023-03-18