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CNN Live At Daybreak
Jam Master Jay of RUN-DMC Fame Killed
Aired October 31, 2002 - 05:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to go live to New York now for more on the killing of Jam Master Jay.
Joining us is Jeff Rossen of our New York affiliate WABC.
Bring us through what happened there.
JEFF ROSSEN, WABC CORRESPONDENT: Here's what happened. NYPD and the investigators have been on the scene since last night. Hours later you can see police officers still at the recording studio here in Jamaica, Queens. Here's exactly what happened.
Police say that this was no accident, this was an execution style killing where the gunmen, two of them, they say, buzzed their way in upstairs to the recording studio. This happened on the second floor right up there where the blinds are drawn. Apparently when the gunman got upstairs he found Jam Master Jay and shot him once in the head.
Now, overnight fans have been coming here, and I want to actually walk for a moment over here. Obviously, a good deal of media on the scene here, as well, putting up flowers and candles and signs, "Jam Master Jay, Rest In Peace."
Again, police are still on the scene. They're not exactly sure who did this. However, witnesses describe the shooter as a young black man in a white sweat suit or a white sweatshirt. But certainly the investigation continues and fans are weeping here in New York and across the nation.
COSTELLO: Jeff, a question for you. You said that he was shot execution style. Can you go into that a little more for us?
ROSSEN: It appears the gunman hunted him down, literally went right upstairs, may have pushed another singer aside just to get a clear shot and shot him once in the head at fairly close range inside the studio lounge. So police do consider that an execution.
COSTELLO: And, Jeff, what happened to the other guy in the studio?
ROSSEN: Apparently there was one other injury, a minor injury, not life threatening. A bullet may have ricocheted off of him, but no one else was injured inside that studio seriously. The only person killed here was Jam Master Jay.
COSTELLO: I guess it's just surprising to me that there are witnesses to this, then. ROSSEN: Yes, there certainly are, and police are speaking with them. But obviously none of us have been allowed inside. Police are guarding this fairly tightly. In fact, they're all moving us across the street. A good deal of crime tape up now, keeping us within 50 feet of it.
There were witnesses. They did see the shooter. Unclear if they were wearing a mask or not, but police are looking for them.
COSTELLO: You know, you always want to find out why these things happen, why would someone want to shoot this guy execution style.
ROSSEN: Yes, you certainly wonder that. It's unclear if the man had any enemies. Certainly he was one of rap's most popular artists. He made rap popular to the mainstream years ago. Fans loved him and it's unclear and it will be interesting to see exactly who this enemy was.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Thank you very much.
Jeff Rossen reporting live from Queens, New York for us this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 31, 2002 - 05:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to go live to New York now for more on the killing of Jam Master Jay.
Joining us is Jeff Rossen of our New York affiliate WABC.
Bring us through what happened there.
JEFF ROSSEN, WABC CORRESPONDENT: Here's what happened. NYPD and the investigators have been on the scene since last night. Hours later you can see police officers still at the recording studio here in Jamaica, Queens. Here's exactly what happened.
Police say that this was no accident, this was an execution style killing where the gunmen, two of them, they say, buzzed their way in upstairs to the recording studio. This happened on the second floor right up there where the blinds are drawn. Apparently when the gunman got upstairs he found Jam Master Jay and shot him once in the head.
Now, overnight fans have been coming here, and I want to actually walk for a moment over here. Obviously, a good deal of media on the scene here, as well, putting up flowers and candles and signs, "Jam Master Jay, Rest In Peace."
Again, police are still on the scene. They're not exactly sure who did this. However, witnesses describe the shooter as a young black man in a white sweat suit or a white sweatshirt. But certainly the investigation continues and fans are weeping here in New York and across the nation.
COSTELLO: Jeff, a question for you. You said that he was shot execution style. Can you go into that a little more for us?
ROSSEN: It appears the gunman hunted him down, literally went right upstairs, may have pushed another singer aside just to get a clear shot and shot him once in the head at fairly close range inside the studio lounge. So police do consider that an execution.
COSTELLO: And, Jeff, what happened to the other guy in the studio?
ROSSEN: Apparently there was one other injury, a minor injury, not life threatening. A bullet may have ricocheted off of him, but no one else was injured inside that studio seriously. The only person killed here was Jam Master Jay.
COSTELLO: I guess it's just surprising to me that there are witnesses to this, then. ROSSEN: Yes, there certainly are, and police are speaking with them. But obviously none of us have been allowed inside. Police are guarding this fairly tightly. In fact, they're all moving us across the street. A good deal of crime tape up now, keeping us within 50 feet of it.
There were witnesses. They did see the shooter. Unclear if they were wearing a mask or not, but police are looking for them.
COSTELLO: You know, you always want to find out why these things happen, why would someone want to shoot this guy execution style.
ROSSEN: Yes, you certainly wonder that. It's unclear if the man had any enemies. Certainly he was one of rap's most popular artists. He made rap popular to the mainstream years ago. Fans loved him and it's unclear and it will be interesting to see exactly who this enemy was.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Thank you very much.
Jeff Rossen reporting live from Queens, New York for us this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
