The Final Hours Of Tupac's Life

On September 13, 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur, also known by his stage name 2Pac, died at the age of 25 at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas, six days after being shot four times in a drive-by shooting. While in the critical care unit, Shakur died of respiratory failure that led to cardiac arrest after the removal of his right lung. Doctors attempted to revive him but could not stop the hemorrhaging.

Tupac Shakur's death: the shooting

On September 8, 1996, Tupac Shakur, also known by his stage name 2Pac, was riding in a car driven by Death Row Records chairman Suge Knight when a drive-by shooting occurred at the intersection of Harmon and Las Vegas Blvd. Shakur was shot four times, with two wounds to the chest causing extensive internal bleeding. He was rushed to the University Medical Center-Trauma unit but remained in critical condition. Doctors tried for two days to stop the bleeding. He was heavily sedated, placed on life support machines, and ultimately put under a medically-induced coma after repeatedly trying to get out of bed.

Despite these efforts, Shakur died on September 13, 1996, six days after the shooting, at the age of 25. The official cause of death was respiratory failure that led to cardiac arrest after the removal of his right lung. Doctors attempted to revive him but could not stop the hemorrhaging. His mother, Afeni, made the decision to cease medical treatment, and he was pronounced dead at 4:03 p.m.

The shooting remains an unsolved homicide case, with no arrests made due to a lack of eyewitness details and uncooperative witnesses. However, a Los Angeles Times investigation in 2002 pointed to the Southside Crips, a gang from Compton, California, as the perpetrators of the shooting. Shakur was associated with a rival gang, the Mob Piru Bloods, and had been involved in a physical altercation with a member of the Crips prior to the shooting.

Hospitalisation and critical condition

On September 8, 1996, Tupac Shakur, also known by his stage name 2Pac, was riding in a car driven by Death Row Records chairman Suge Knight when a gunman in a white Cadillac shot him four times in the chest at a stoplight in Las Vegas. Knight was also hit by the gunfire and both were rushed to the University Medical Center-Trauma unit. Shakur was placed on life support machines and was heavily sedated. He was also put under a medically-induced coma after repeatedly trying to get out of bed.

Shakur was listed in critical condition upon entering the hospital. Doctors at the hospital said that the two wounds to the chest were the most life-threatening and had caused extensive internal bleeding, which they tried for two days to stop. On September 11, three days after the shooting, Knight was released from the hospital.

On September 13, 1996, Shakur died of respiratory failure that led to cardiac arrest after the removal of his right lung. Doctors attempted to revive him but could not stop the hemorrhaging. His mother, Afeni, made the decision to cease medical treatment. He was pronounced dead at 4:03 p.m.

Respiratory failure and cardiac arrest

Respiratory arrest occurs when breathing stops or is interrupted while the heart continues to beat. This can lead to brain damage or cardiac arrest if the patient does not quickly receive medical attention. Some causes of respiratory arrest include asthma, pneumonia, chronic lung disease, drug overdose, poisoning, or an airway obstruction. An airway obstruction can be caused by blood, vomit, mucus, inflammation, or a foreign object that is stopping or partially blocking a person's breathing.

Respiratory arrest patients will still have a pulse, but they may exhibit symptoms such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing, fever, a fast heart rate, and a bluish tint around the mouth or fingernails. If left untreated, respiratory arrest can be fatal, and timely intervention is crucial. To treat a patient in respiratory arrest, it is essential to open their airway and provide positive pressure ventilation.

Cardiac arrest, on the other hand, occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating or beats irregularly, disrupting blood flow to vital organs. This can be damaging to the brain and potentially fatal. Cardiac arrest patients will have an irregular or absent pulse.

Both respiratory and cardiac arrest are critical medical emergencies requiring immediate intervention. Tupac Shakur, also known as 2Pac, died of respiratory failure that led to cardiac arrest after the removal of his right lung.

In both respiratory and cardiac arrest, the patient will be unconscious and not breathing. Respiratory arrest will always lead to cardiac arrest if left untreated, as the lack of oxygen in the blood will cause the heart to stop beating.

The investigation and cold case

On the night of September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur attended the Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After leaving the match, Tupac and his entourage got into an altercation with a member of a rival gang, the South Compton Crips, in the lobby of the casino. During the scuffle, Tupac was shot and robbed, but the wounds were not serious, and he managed to walk to a car that took him to the University Medical Center. At the hospital, it was discovered that one bullet had penetrated his right lung, while another had gone through his pelvis. The wounds required immediate surgery, and Tupac was stabilized. He was soon sent to the intensive care unit and was expected to make a full recovery. However, his condition suddenly worsened, and on the afternoon of September 13, six days after the shooting, he was pronounced dead. The official cause of death was respiratory failure and cardiopulmonary arrest.

The investigation into Tupac's death was extensive but ultimately inconclusive. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) interviewed numerous witnesses and examined physical evidence, but no arrests were ever made. Here is a breakdown of the key aspects of the investigation:

• Witness Interviews: Those who were with Tupac on the night of the shooting provided statements, including his friend and fellow rapper Yafeu "Kadafi" Fula, who was in the car directly behind Tupac's on the way to the hospital. Kadafi claimed that a white Cadillac pulled up next to their car and opened fire. He also alleged that the Crips were responsible for the shooting. However, the reliability of his testimony was questioned as he had given conflicting statements and may have had loyalties that influenced his account.
• Ballistic Evidence: Forensic examination of the bullets recovered from Tupac's body indicated that they came from a .40 caliber Glock, a weapon commonly used by the Crips. This supported the theory that the Crips were responsible for the shooting. However, no gun was ever recovered, and it proved challenging to link the bullets to a specific weapon or individual.
• Gang Rivalries: The investigation delved into the ongoing feuds between the East Coast and West Coast rap scenes, as well as gang affiliations. Tupac had been involved in a highly publicized dispute with Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace and the Bad Boy Records label, fueling speculation that the East Coast-affiliated Crips may have targeted Tupac. However, concrete evidence linking specific individuals to the crime remained elusive.
• Changing Stories: Over time, individuals came forward with new information, often changing the trajectory of the investigation. One key example was the claim made by a man named Dexter Isaac, who, in 2011, confessed to being involved in the shooting. He alleged that he had been paid by James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, a music executive with ties to the Crips, to carry out the attack. While this confession brought renewed interest to the case, it also highlighted the challenges of investigating a case so many years after the fact.

Despite the ongoing interest in Tupac's death and the emergence of new information, the case remains unsolved. The passage of time has likely hindered the investigation, with key witnesses passing away or changing their stories, and physical evidence becoming harder to analyze or locate. The case is considered cold, but the LVMPD has stated that it would reopen the investigation if credible new information or evidence were to surface.

Legacy and cultural impact

Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage name 2Pac, is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. Academics regard him as one of the most influential music artists of the 20th century and a prominent political activist for Black America. His prominence in pop culture has been noted, and he is widely credited as an important figure in hip-hop culture.

Shakur's impact on the world of music, art, and culture is immense and far-reaching. His songs continue to be sampled in contemporary music, his quotes are shared on social media, and his ideas are invoked in discussions about race, poverty, and justice. His image and messages are still very much alive today, with his legacy evident in the activism of modern artists who follow in his footsteps.

Shakur's writings, published after his death, inspired rapper YG to return to school and get his GED. In 2020, former California Senator and former Vice President Kamala Harris called Shakur the "best rapper alive", explaining that "West Coast girls think 2Pac lives on". According to writer Kevin Powell, Shakur deserves to be put in the same category as Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and John Lennon in terms of his global impact.

Shakur has been posthumously honoured with numerous awards, including inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His albums, including "2Pacalypse Now," "Me Against the World," and "All Eyez on Me," showcased his versatility and storytelling prowess. His most notable songs include "California Love", "Changes", "Dear Mama", "Hail Mary", "Keep Ya Head Up", "Hit 'Em Up", and "Brenda's Got a Baby", among many others.

English scholar Mark Anthony Neal assessed Shakur's death as leaving a "leadership void amongst hip-hop artists", as this "walking contradiction" helped make intellectualism more accessible to ordinary people. Music scholar Emmett Price called Shakur a "Black folk hero", tracing his persona to Black American folklore's tricksters, which, after abolition, evolved into the urban "bad man". In 2012, the University of Oslo organized a course centred on Shakur, hip-hop, and cultural history.

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