Authorities Struggle to Find Witnesses in Pop Smoke Murder Case: Report

The investigation into the murder of Pop Smoke continues, but police are running into roadblocks.

On Saturday (Feb. 29), TMZ published a report which reveals the LAPD is hard-pressed to find anyone who witnessed the crime that can provide clues to aid the investigation. According to the celebrity news site, police say some of the people who may have seen something are refusing to talk. Other information they have gotten has turned out to be unreliable, as stories have been altered or turned out to be invalid.

They have been unable to find anyone outside the home who may have witnessed the crime. Social media tips have also reportedly turned up nothing. Adding to the difficulties, local police have had to correspond with East Coast authorities to get information, as Pop was a New York City native.

XXL has reached out to the LAPD to confirm the report.

As previously reported, Pop Smoke, born Bashar Jackson, was shot and killed on Feb. 19 during an apparent home invasion at a house he was staying at in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles. According to the LAPD, two to six men broke into the home and fired shots killing the rapper. Authorities have been hesitant to call the incident robbery-related due to evidence at the scene.

“There were a couple of items that were taken, but some of the things you would think would be taken weren’t even really looked for,” LAPD Capt. Jonathan L. Tippet recently said. “So that’s why we’re not really saying that it was a robbery or that he was the intended target.”

Other people were in the home when the incident happened but police have been unable to gather any viable evidence from their statements. No one has been arrested in connection with the killing.

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