Rapper Big Boogie among 2 dozen arrested after Mississippi highway shooting, reports say
Rapper Big Boogie and a caravan of at least 21 others were arrested Thursday following a highway shooting in northern Mississippi, news outlets report.
Boogie, whose real name is John Lotts, was reportedly headed to Biloxi for a performance at club Zodiac that night when witnesses say shots rang out on Interstate 55 near Coldwater, according to WMC-TV.
Senatobia police received a call around 12:45 p.m. Thursday about a gunshot victim whose car had been shot at, according to a news release. Officers met the victim at a nearby Huddle House where they learned multiple cars were involved, and that the suspects had continued heading south on the highway.
Police coordinated a “take down” with other law enforcement agencies, and met the caravan as it exited on Highway 6 in Batesville. Approximately 21 people were arrested and their cars impounded, according to a news release.
Edith Aaron witnessed the incident and described several police cars zooming past her on the highway.
“It was something out of a movie,” Aaron told WMC-TV. “Lights were everywhere. It was like the 4th of July. It may have been 50 cars already there.”
Boogie reportedly had a gig scheduled at 9:30 p.m. Thursday in Biloxi as part of the city’s annual Black Beach Weekend, which was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McClatchy News reported.
Authorities continued their investigation with the reported victims in Senatobia, where they recovered a gun, cash and “felony amount of narcotics.” One of the passengers was a convicted felon, police said.
In all, authorities said 24 people were taken into custody Thursday.
The incident remains under investigation.
This story was originally published April 9, 2021 at 11:46 AM.