Nasir Valenzuela, the Bronx drill rapper known as Nas EBK, faces a second-degree murder charge in New York over the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Idrissa Siby in Times Square on February 9, 2023.1News 12 New Jersey. Bronx Man Faces Murder Charges for Fatal Times Square Shooting He was 19 at the time and was arrested in New Jersey about a month later. He also faces a separate set of New Jersey charges tied to a knife incident at a Rochelle Park ShopRite filmed for a YouTube prank video.
What Happened in Times Square
Around 5:37 p.m. on February 9, 2023, Valenzuela and Siby argued at the corner of West 44th Street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan.2amNewYork. Bronx Man Cuffed in Times Square Shooting The confrontation escalated, and Valenzuela allegedly shot Siby once in the right side of the chest. Siby tried to run and collapsed about a block away at a Chick-fil-A. Officers performed CPR before he was taken to Mount Sinai West, where he was pronounced dead.3NY1. 22-Year-Old Man Shot and Killed in Times Square
Police sources said the two men knew each other and that Siby was the intended target.2amNewYork. Bronx Man Cuffed in Times Square Shooting Early in the investigation, authorities said they were looking into whether the shooting was drug-related.3NY1. 22-Year-Old Man Shot and Killed in Times Square
Who Idrissa Siby Was
Siby, who went by “Idris,” was a 22-year-old Bronx resident.3NY1. 22-Year-Old Man Shot and Killed in Times Square People who knew him described him as quiet, reserved, and funny.4Gun Memorial. Idrissa Siby Memorial
The Arrest and the Murder Charge
Valenzuela was not caught right away. On March 10, 2023, roughly a month after the shooting, he was arrested in New Jersey and brought back to Midtown Manhattan for processing.2amNewYork. Bronx Man Cuffed in Times Square Shooting He was charged with murder in the second degree.1News 12 New Jersey. Bronx Man Faces Murder Charges for Fatal Times Square Shooting
The New Jersey ShopRite Case
About a month before the Times Square shooting, Valenzuela was involved in a separate incident that led to its own charges. On January 9, 2023, he appeared in a YouTube prank video filmed inside a ShopRite in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. The group, posting to the channel of YouTuber Buba100x, screamed at customers, snatched a worker’s hat, and grabbed another employee’s glasses.5Patch. YouTuber Nas EBK Assaults, Threatens Employee With Knife
When an employee confronted the group, police say Valenzuela pulled a “scalpel-style” blade and told the worker, “Walk toward me again and I’ll violate you.” Video also showed him attempting to kick the man.6NorthJersey.com. Rochelle Park Rapper Nas EBK Charged With Terroristic Threats The group left before officers arrived.
On February 21, 2023, the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force tracked Valenzuela to Penns Grove, New Jersey, and arrested him. He was processed at the Rochelle Park Police Department and sent to Bergen County Jail.5Patch. YouTuber Nas EBK Assaults, Threatens Employee With Knife The charges included possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, terroristic threats, simple assault, and disorderly conduct.7PIX11. Suspect in NJ ShopRite Incident Arrested Available reporting does not indicate that Buba100x faced criminal charges in connection with the same incident.
Who Nas EBK Is
Valenzuela grew up in the Bronx and began recording music casually before taking it seriously. In a 2021 interview, he said he had been in the studio “for fun” until his track “OYK” pushed him to commit to a career. His first single, “BunnyInTheBox,” went viral and brought him attention in the Bronx drill community.8Power 105.1. Nas EBK on Kay Flock, Bunny in the Box, Bronx Drill He has been closely associated with fellow Bronx drill rapper Kay Flock, whom he described as a longtime friend who helped manage his music and guide decisions about production and visuals.
The case landed in a city where the NYPD’s Gang Suppression Unit and Gun Violence Suppression Division have made drill music and the social media activity around it a focus of their investigations, arguing that videos are used to mock rival crews and escalate conflicts into shootings.9Fox 5 New York. Gang Bragged About Violence in Drill Rap Videos, Bronx DA Says