Rapper arrested on unrelated charges after Little Rock nightclub shooting

The shooting occurred at the Power Lounge, according to police.

ByABC News
July 2, 2017, 6:50 AM

— -- A Memphis-based rapper who was performing Saturday at a Little Rock nightclub where 25 people were shot was arrested this morning on charges unrelated to the incident, authorities said.

Ricky Hampton, 25, aka Finese 2Tymes, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Kentrell Gwynn were arrested at the Side Effects Club in Birmingham, Alabama, by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, officials said.

The Marshals Service says the men were arrested on a "fugitive from justice" warrant.

Hampton was headlining a concert at the Power Ultra Lounge nightclub when multiple shots rang out early Saturday morning. No arrests have been made in the shooting, which police have said they believe stemmed from a dispute in the crowd and may be gang-related.

Hampton had issued a statement on his Facebook page after the incident, sending "condolences" to the victims and thanking his fans who attended the concert.

"The violence is not for the club people," he wrote in the Facebook post. "We all come with [one] motive at the end of the day. And that's to have fun. Not to be hurt."

Two people shot at the nightclub were in critical condition Saturday.

The shooting at the nightclub in the state's capital city occurred around 2:30 a.m. CT on Saturday.

The shooting ended a week of violence in Arkansas' largest city where police had responded to a dozen drive-by shootings over the previous nine days.

"This does appear to be a continuation of disputes from some of our local groups," Buckner said later. "You've seen some of the things playing out in our streets that has resulted in drive-by shootings."

The wounded, who range in age from 16 to 35 years old, were transported to various hospitals in the area.

Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola on Saturday confirmed an earlier report that all of the victims are expected to survive.

There was no immediate information about suspects, but police said the incident did not appear to be an active shooter or connected to terrorism.

Police said there was a dispute during a concert at the nightclub, and an exchange of gunfire occurred. Chief Buckner confirmed Saturday afternoon that multiple individuals fired shots. Buckner estimates that between 20 and 40 shots were fired, based on video evidence, and said that no arrests related to the incident have been made so far.

Mayor Stodola said Saturday that Power Ultra Lounge is being shut immediately. A representative for the landlord's office Saturday night posted an eviction notice on a door to the club, stating that the club must move out of the property within three days "due to your failure to maintain the premises in a safe condition."

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson also issued a statement Saturday, noting what he called Little Rock's growing "crime problem."

"Little Rock's crime problem appears to be intensifying. Every few days it seems a high-profile shooting dominates the news, culminating with this morning's event," Hutchinson said. “We are still gathering facts, but it is clear that we need to have a comprehensive enforcement strategy in place that helps take the violent threats off the streets. The state will participate and bring assets to the table to support local law enforcement efforts."

ABC News' Christopher Donato and Benjamin Stein contributed to this story, which was supplemented with Associated Press reporting.