On April 3, 2002, Alton "Buntry" McDonald (February 5, 1966 – April 3, 2002), a member of the
Mob Piru Bloods and a
production manager
In the cinema of the United States, a unit production manager (UPM) is the Directors Guild of America–approved title for the top below-the-line staff position, responsible for the administration of a feature film or television production. Non- ...
at
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre ('' ...
,
was shot dead at a gas station in
Compton
Compton may refer to:
Places
Canada
* Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal electoral district
* Compton (provincial electoral district), a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton
* Compton, Que ...
. The murder was believed to be the result of fighting between two rival "sets" of the Bloods, the Mob Pirus and the
Fruit Town Pirus.
Events
Background
McDonald was a close friend of
Suge Knight
Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. (; born April 19, 1965) is a American former music executive, convicted felon, and the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight is considered a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in ...
, the former CEO of Death Row Records and worked as a production manager at the record label.
McDonald was also a friend of
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...
and was involved in the beating of
Orlando Anderson
Orlando Tive "Baby Lane" Anderson (August 13, 1974 – May 29, 1998) was the prime suspect in the murder of Tupac Shakur. Anderson belonged to the California-based gang known as the Southside Compton Crips. Detective Tim Brennan of the Compton ...
on September 7, 1996, at the
MGM Grand, which occurred a few hours before
Shakur was shot.
By 2002, a rivalry developed between two sets of the Bloods, the Mob Piru, which Death Row Records was affiliated with, and the Fruit Town Piru.
Several associates of Death Row Records were killed as a result of this rivalry.
Shooting
On April 3, 2002, McDonald was filling up his car at a gas station in Compton, when a pickup truck pulled up near him. George Williams opened fire with a handgun and McDonald was hit several times in the chest. He was taken to
St. Francis Medical Center in
Lynwood, where he died shortly after. Later that day, Suge Knight visited the hospital to pay his respects to McDonald's family.
Aftermath
In January 2003, Gary "Gary G" Phillips, who was allegedly involved in the shooting of McDonald, was shot and wounded by two of Suge Knight's associates, Terran Andrews and Gregory Shelton.
Depictions in media
* McDonald is mentioned in Tupac Shakur's song "
To Live & Die in L.A." (1996), from his album ''
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory''.
* McDonald is portrayed in two episodes of
''Unsolved'' (2018), where he is played by Calvin Tenner.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Alton
2002 murders in the United States
April 2002 crimes in the United States
Bloods