'All hell broke loose' on night of Tupac's shooting as murder trial begins

The long-awaited murder trial for the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur commenced in a Las Vegas courtroom this week, with opening statements transporting jurors back to the chaotic night of the shooting. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, a former gang leader, stands accused of orchestrating the drive-by attack, though he has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege Davis acted as the "on-the-ground, on-site commander" and planned the shooting in retaliation for Shakur's entourage beating Davis's nephew earlier that evening.

During the initial proceedings, witness Ingrid Stokes, who was in a nearby car at the time, described the scene as "all hell broke loose" when gunfire erupted. She testified to hearing gunshots and ducking for cover before fleeing. Another witness, former Las Vegas police officer Garry Dale, recalled pulling over Shakur's vehicle shortly before the shooting and later riding in the ambulance with the injured rapper, who reportedly refused to name his assailants.

The prosecution's case is largely built upon Davis's own public statements, including those in a 2019 memoir where he detailed his alleged involvement. However, Davis's defense attorneys contend that the prosecution's narrative is "fiction," arguing the case stems from a flawed, decades-long investigation and that parts of Davis's book were exaggerated or not entirely his own writing. The trial is expected to feature testimony from numerous witnesses and could last approximately a month.