The Los Angeles Police Commission has raised concerns about the potential role of race in the arrest of rapper Killer Mike at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Rasha Gerges Shields, a commissioner for the department’s civilian watchdog, expressed her doubts during a meeting following Police Chief Michel Moore’s briefing on the incident. Shields suggested that Killer Mike’s race, being Black, may have influenced the officers’ decision to take him into custody and escort him out of the venue in handcuffs. She further expressed concerns about police intervention being influenced by others’ prejudices.
Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, was arrested at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, shortly after 4 p.m. He was booked for misdemeanor battery. According to sources close to the investigation, the altercation occurred when a venue security guard attempted to prevent Killer Mike and his crew from accessing a specific area. The confrontation allegedly resulted in the security guard being knocked to the ground and sustaining a hand injury. She subsequently requested a citizen’s arrest, leading to the involvement of the police.
Chief Moore, however, denied any racial bias in the incident and defended the actions of the arresting officers, stating that they were obligated by state law to respect the citizen’s arrest request. A video of the 48-year-old musician being escorted by at least two LAPD officers went viral on social media shortly before the live broadcast of the 2024 Grammys on CBS.
Despite the arrest, Killer Mike emerged as a winner at the pre-show ceremony, securing three Grammy awards in the rap categories for his 2023 release “Michael.” In his acceptance speech for the rap performance Grammy, he expressed his excitement as a Black man in America, reflecting on his childhood dream of becoming a part of the music industry.
The day after the Grammys, Killer Mike appeared on V103’s “Big Tigger Morning Show” and downplayed the arrest, referring to it as a mere “speed bump” before returning to the festivities. In a statement shared with the Associated Press on Monday, he attributed the incident to an “over-zealous security guard” and expressed confidence in being cleared of any wrongdoing. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 29 in Los Angeles.
