Members of a Louisiana hip-hop group have been charged in connection to the death of a rival rapper.
According to CBS affiliate 4WWL, Tauj Chardez Taplin and Quardavion Tyvon White were arrested Thursday following a high-speed chase that began in South Texas and ended in Southwest Louisiana. The Chambers County Sheriff’s office said the pursuit began after authorities had stopped a vehicle believed to have been owned by a shooting suspect. Authorities claim a scuffle ensued just moments into the traffic stop, prompting Taplin to flee the scene in the Nissan, while White was taken into custody.
Officers reportedly chased Taplin toward Beaumont, Texas, but called off the pursuit after determining he was endangering the lives of other civilians. However, it was too long before Taplin crashed the vehicle near Lake Charles, Louisiana, where authorities placed him under arrest.
Investigators say the 19-year-old men are members of a hip-hop group known as “The Fours.” They are now facing charges stemming from the struggle and high-speed chase, as well as the murder of 19-year-old Michael Brock, who was a member of the “Three-13” rap group.
According to 4WWL, Brock was hiding out at home in Bogalusa, Louisiana, after he reportedly received death threats from a rival crew. Witnesses claimed that on June 7 someone had knocked on the apartment door where Brock was staying; seconds after he answered, Brock was fatally shot with an AR-15 Assault Rifle.
After reviewing surveillance video and witness testimony, detectives identified Taplin as the suspected shooter and White as the suspected get-away driver.
