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]
| 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 |
Events
editBackground
editMcDonald 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
editOn 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
editIn 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