The Los Angeles Police Department say a clerical error is to blame for the release of the autopsy report related to the death of late rapper Notorious B.I.G.

On Friday [December 7] the official LA County coroner's report was released to the public, revealing that the rap superstar, born Christopher George Latore Wallace, was struck by four bullets during a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles 15 years ago. One of the bullets fatally wounded the Brooklyn MC.

According to the LA Times, the LAPD reached out to the Wallace family soon after the autopsy went public.

"Due to an administrative error, the autopsy report was released prematurely.  Robbery-Homicide Division detectives had intended to notify Mr. Wallace's family prior to releasing the report," the LAPD said in a statement.
"Our detectives personally spoke with the Wallace family [Friday] night, and apologized for not notifying them prior to the release" said Capt. Billy Hayes, who heads  the Robbery-Homicide Division. "Obviously this has been a challenging case for us to solve.  We hope that witnesses or other people with information will come forward and give us the clues we need to solve this case."
Los Angeles police have run into several road blocks in this ongoing investigation. Going public with the autopsy last week was an attempt to use the information "as an investigative tool, in the hopes that releasing the report would stimulate additional interest or bring forth witnesses or clues in the case."
The unusual approach caused quite a stir as the report introduced some gruesome never-before heard details about the rapper's murder.
B.I.G. sustained a total of four gunshot wounds in the shooting that claimed his life outside the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles in March 1997 — one to the left forearm, one to the back, one to the outer left thigh and one to the right hip. He had been riding in the passenger seat of a Chevy Suburban when the shooter pulled up next to him at a traffic light.

It was the shot to the hip that was fatal, as the bullet's trajectory caused it to pierce a number of vital organs including his colon, liver, heart and lung.
The rapper was 24 years old at the time of his death.

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