Authorities Question Validity of Beanie Sigel Incident

By Chris Ricbburg Philadelphia investigators are questioning the details of events pertaining to a recent robbery and shooting involving rapper Beanie Sigel. The Philadelphia Daily News reports the suspicions were heightened Friday (Aug. 11) when Sigel appeared on The Aphilliates: The Streetz is Watchin,' a weekly hip-hop show on Sirius Satellite Radio. "Oh! My getting shot and somebody robbing me! Negative," the 32-year-old rhymester said during the two-hour interview. "I am on federal parole, so I can't get into details, but give me another nine months and I will tell y'all exactly what the deal was." Investigators think Sigel lied when he told police he was stalked, robbed and shot in the shoulder a block from his boyhood home on May 25. Sigel told authorities he was followed by another car after dropping off a friend on Snyder Avenue near the 25th Street Bridge in South Philly after the two left Z-Bar, a Northern Liberties club. Police are certain Sigel (born Dwight Grant) was at the club until 3:30 a.m. the morning he was shot. Shortly after leaving his friend, the rapper said he was boxed in by two cars on 22nd Street near McClellan and then surrounded by four men who robbed him of a watch and a chain worth $75,000 and $3,000 in cash. Sigel further stated that one of the men shot him in the shoulder. Police also viewed surveillance footage that showed Sigel arriving at the University of Pennsylvania with another man, shortly after 7:00 am on the morning he was wounded. "No one believes him. We don't believe he was shot where he said he was shot [in South Philly]," said Detective Tracy Byard, who told the Philadelphia Daily News that Sigel argued with investigators who tried to photograph his wound and question his story. "There's a million-and-one holes in his story," Byard said. "But because he's a rapper, he is not going to cooperate with police. It goes against everything he stands for." Despite the ruckus surrounding the shooting, officers tell the Philadelphia Daily News that no one witnessed the incident nor heard any gunshots. In addition, no shell casings were found. Police said they would be listening to Sigel's upcoming double CD for clues about the shooting.