Crowds gathered Tuesday on two coasts to pay tribute to late rapper XXXTentacion.
In Florida, hundreds paid tribute to the slain entertainer in Deerfield Beach, not far from the site of the shooting.
Among the mourners was Cleopatra Bernard, the rapper's mother. Bernard was among hundreds who showed up, many carrying gold and white balloons, to where the 20-year-old was senselessly killed Monday afternoon, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, a crowd gathered in very much the same way as hundreds gathered to mourn.
This crowd blocked traffic from getting through busy Melrose Avenue in the city's Fairfax neighborhood.
The crowd became rowdy at times and even formed a mosh pit at one point, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Police officers dispersed the crowd, which did not have a permit, at about 9 p.m. using non-lethal force that included tear gas.
Born Jahseh Onfroy, XXXTentacion was shot outside Riva Motorsports in Pompano Beach after what was initially assumed to be an apparent robbery, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities have since told reporters that the exact nature of the incident is not known and that the crime remains under investigation.
“We haven’t solved it yet,” Sheriff Scott Israel told the Deerfield City Commission on Tuesday. “We’ve been working very feverishly on it. Our homicide detectives are working around the clock. It’s a horrific crime and we’re going to solve it and we’re going to bring those who did it to justice."
XXXTentacion's death, as high-profile as it was tragic, came after a brief career marked by both adoration and enmity.
While beloved by many who admired his unique brand of hip-hop, XXXTentacion was also a polarizing figure due to unresolved allegations that he beat his pregnant girlfriend.
Funeral arrangements did not appear to have been publicized as of early Wednesday.
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