Video: Chaos As Shots Fired in Long Beach at Grand Opening of a Burger Restaurant with Snoop Dog in attendance.

A deadly shooting in downtown Long Beach on Sunday, March 1, 2026, left one person dead and two others wounded, occurring near-but not directly connected to-the grand opening celebration of a new Marathon Burger location.

The incident took place shortly after 3:30 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Pine Avenue, approximately half a block south of the restaurant at 245 Pine Ave. Long Beach police responded to reports of gunfire involving multiple victims. One victim was pronounced dead at a hospital, while the two others were treated for injuries (one to the upper body and one to the lower body, according to preliminary accounts).

The shooting disrupted a large crowd gathered for the grand opening of Marathon Burger, a fast-food chain founded by the family of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle (with his brother Samiel "Blacc Sam" Asghedom playing a key role in its development). The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by celebrities including Snoop Dogg, YG, radio host Big Boy, and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. Hundreds of people were present earlier in the day for the celebration, which honored Nipsey Hussle's legacy through the brand's expansion (this being the chain's fourth location, following sites in West Hollywood, Venice, and Canoga Park).

A representative for Marathon Burger stated that the shooting had no ties to the restaurant or its event. Organizers had arranged security, street closures, and police presence for the block party-style gathering. Authorities have indicated no evidence linking the violence to the grand opening itself.

The Long Beach Police Department is actively investigating the circumstances, including potential suspects. Two individuals were detained at the scene shortly after the shooting, though no further details on arrests or motives have been released as of early March 2, 2026.

Videos and eyewitness accounts from social media showed chaos as crowds scattered amid the gunfire, highlighting the sudden shift from celebration to panic in the busy downtown corridor near Pine Square. Police cordoned off parts of the area, with medical waste visible at the scene in a nearby parking garage.