A New York Police Department commander is under investigation after allegedly telling his colleagues to “shoot 50 Cent on sight.”
According to the New York Daily News Commanding Officer Emanuel Gonzalez made the controversial comment in June last year during a briefing at New York’s 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park, ahead of the rap icon’s scheduled appearance at a boxing match in the Bronx.
It is claimed that Gonzales’ comment came only a month after he filed an aggravated harassment complaint and alleged that the star, real name Curtis Jackson, had threatened him on Instagram.
“The inspector just said that at roll call. I’m like WTF,” a source told the Daily News.
While Gonzalez is believed to passed off the comments as a flippant remark, an NYPD spokesperson has since confirmed that “the incident is under internal review.”
He also remains on active duty, but faces investigation from the Internal Affairs Bureau’s Group 1 – which is tackled with handling police corruption cases involving high ranking officers.
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A spokesperson for 50 Cent said: “Mr. Jackson takes this threat very seriously and is consulting with his legal counsel regarding his options going forward.
“He is concerned that he was not previously advised of this threat by the NYPD and even more concerned that Gonzalez continues to carry a badge and a gun.”
It is believed that Gonzales’ comments occurred after 50 Cent waded into a lawsuit that accused the police commander of investigating the owner of Love and Lust, a favoured nightclub of 50 Cent in New York’s Sunset Park.
Commenting on an Instagram post, the star reportedly wrote “get the strap” – a phrase commonly used by Fiddy’s character in TV drama Power when chaotic scenes are about to take police.
Gonzalez consequently filed a complaint and said that Fiddy’s followers were responding with their own threats against him – although no charges were ultimately filed.
Last week, the rapper also attracted headlines after burning all his Gucci clothes in protest against a jumper sold by the fashion house that featured “blackface.”