Rapper sought after her SUV found near Manhattan shooting

[jaxthemc]

A Grammy-nominated rapper known for her work with platinum-selling stars Eminem, R. Kelly and Fat Joe was sought for questioning by police Saturday after an early morning shooting outside a trendy Manhattan nightspot.

A 911 call reporting gunfire in the Meatpacking District led police to a 23-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to her lower torso just before 4 a.m. Three blocks away, officers discovered a luxury SUV owned by rapper Remy Ma; the vehicle was involved in a single-car crash and abandoned at the corner of 10th Avenue and Little West 12th Street, police said.

Police have yet to name a suspect in the shooting, which followed the escalation of a verbal dispute afer the group left the Pizza Bar. Police did say that the shooter was a woman in her 20s who fled the scene after opening fire.

The victim, whose identity was withheld, was listed in stable condition at St. Vincent's Hospital. Pizza Bar owner Sasha Tcherekoff said a review of security videotape taken inside his nightspot showed the rapper and her friends having a good time before they exited.

Police officials grabbed a copy of the security footage.

'The police have indicated to us that the altercation happened a block away,' the owner said. 'The security tapes determined there was no physical or verbal altercation while they were in the Pizza Bar.'

One of the Pizza Bar's employees recognized the rap star after she and a group of friends arrived, Tcherekoff said.

Remy Ma _ her real name is Remy Smith _ was nominated for a Grammy as part of the Terror Squad for the 2004 summer smash 'Lean Back.' She also earned the 'Best Female Hip Hop' award at the 2005 BET Awards.

The 26-year-old Bronx native went on to a solo career, releasing last year's debut 'There's Something About Remy.' She's appeared on recordings with best-selling performers like Fat Joe, Eminem and R. Kelly, according to a biography on her website.

An e-mail sent to the rapper's publicist seeking comment Saturday was not returned.

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