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Subscribe to RSSPop superstar Justin Bieber called for a crackdown on paparazzi Wednesday after a photographer was killed as he tried to shoot pictures of Bieber's white Ferrari in Los Angeles — pictures that a veteran photographer said probably would have been worth no more than $100.
Gene Blevins / Reuters
Los Angeles police look over the car that struck and killed a celebrity photographer who was trying to take photographs of a Ferrari registered to pop star Justin Bieber on Jan. 1.
The photographer, a man in his late 20s whom police wouldn't identify until they can notify his next of kin, was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center shortly after he was run over by a passing motorist about 5:30 p.m. local time Tuesday, police said.
Authorities confirmed that Bieber, 18, wasn't in the Ferrari. It was being driven by a friend, whom they wouldn't identify, and it wasn't involved in the accident, police said.
David Allocca, who's photographed celebrities for many years, told NBC News that even if Bieber had been in the car, any shot the man took would likely have been worth little.
"A plain photo of Bieber in his car? Probably around $100, not more than $500," said Allocca, who's photographed Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Nicole Kidman and both Presidents Bush in a 30-year career. "I can guarantee that."
The incident took place after a California Highway Patrol officer flagged the Ferrari for speeding on the northbound lanes of Interstate 405, said Madeline Nightingale, watch commander of the Los Angeles Police Department's West Traffic Bureau. The car then exited at Sepulveda Boulevard and Getty Center Drive, she told NBC News.
During the traffic stop, the photographer crossed the busy Sepulveda thoroughfare, which runs parallel to the 405, and tried to shoot photos of the vehicle's occupants from a perch on the narrow divider, she said.
The Highway Patrol officer on the scene repeatedly warned the man that his position was dangerous, she said. The man was then struck by a car traveling southbound on Sepulveda, Nightingale said.
No charges were expected to be filed against the motorist, who stopped and tried to administer assistance, Nightingale told NBC News. The driver was a woman with two young children in the vehicle, Nightingale said.
Police in Los Angeles are investigating the death of a photographer who was hit by a car while trying to take pictures of a white Ferrari owned by pop star Justin Bieber. TODAY's Willie Geist reports.
Thibault Mauvilain, a celebrity photographer who went to the scene of Tuesday's accident, told reporters that he knew the photographer who was killed.
"He always played by the rules. I'm not aware of him doing anything illegal," Mauvilain said, according to NBC 4 of Los Angeles.
NBC Los Angeles: Man killed attempting to photograph Justin Bieber's Ferrari
"Some people will say he's just another crazy paparazzo trying to make the money. Actually, he was not a paparazzo. He was just another kid from New Mexico."
'Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation'
In a statement Wednesday, Bieber said: "While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim."
DCNYRE2013 - Getty Images
Justin Bieber wasn't in the car at the time of Tuesday's incident, police said.
He added: "Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders and the photographers themselves."
Justin Bieber tosses water bottle at Miami paparazzi
In fact, California has such a law. In 2010, the state cracked down on paparazzi, adding extra penalties for photographers who drive dangerously in pursuit of pictures they intend to sell.
But in November — in a case also involving a photographer who was hoping to get pictures of Bieber at a traffic stop — a Superior Court judge refused to apply it, saying it was unconstitutional.
Los Angeles City Council member Dennis Zine — who witnessed a previous paparazzi pursuit of Bieber in July, which ended with a photographer's being struck by a motorist — called on lawmakers Wednesday to give the law even more teeth.
"Unfortunately, the State law that passed in 2010 was not successful in a recent court case, so I would urge our State legislators to revisit the statute and make amendments in order to strengthen it and make it more effective," Zine, a Los Angeles reserve police officer, said in a statement.
The behavior of celebrity photographers has been widely denounced ever since 1997, when Princess Diana died in a French auto accident that was initially blamed on pursuing photographers. The wreck was subsequently blamed on Diana's driver.
The market value for many celebrity shots has fallen in recent years, Allocca said, and now it takes a "great photo" to earn big money.
Justin Bieber is the most Googled person on Earth. The pop star started as a viral sensation. He and his manager, Scooter Braun, discussed Bieber's journey and his future with Ryan Seacrest.
"With Instagram, with Twitter, with cellphones — everyone's got a point-and-shoot, everyone's got a camera wherever you go," he said.
"If he had a joint in his mouth, maybe a million bucks, to somebody," Allocca said. "But no one outlet is paying that money. Magazines aren't the first to get it anymore. The Internet gets it."
But celebrities continue to get caught up in dangerous incidents involving paparazzi:
- In June 2011, Tori Spelling backed her car into the wall of her children's school in Tarzana, Calif., as she was being pursued by a photographer.
"Wht will it take?" Spelling tweeted at the time. "Someone dying for paparazzi to stop?"
- In October 2009, a car driven by Nicole Richie was rear-ended by a car carrying two photographers in Beverly Hills, Calif. The driver was arrested and found to have no driver's license.
- The same month, Brad Pitt was riding a motorcycle in Los Angeles when a photographer trying to get a picture rear-ended the actor with his car. Pitt and the motorcycle fell over, but he was uninjured.
- In 2010, a photographer claimed that he was badly injured when a car in which Lindsay Lohan was riding ran him over outside a Hollywood nightclub. The photographer sued Lohan in January 2011; Lohan asked a court to dismiss the suit last summer.
- In June, Lohan was involved in another crash when her rented Porsche ran into a truck in Santa Monica, Calif., while allegedly fleeing a pack of chasing paparazzi.
Allocca said it was "stupid" that the photographer who was killed Tuesday died over a picture that eventually would have little value.
"All I can say is remember the New Kids on the Block. Remember Hanson," he said.
"Bieber will be there shortly as well."
Daniel Strieff of NBC News contributed to this report.
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"Killed" and "Shooting" in the same headline. Someone wants more hits on their story...
one less idiot to roam this earth, a greedy one at it too..
Darwinism at it's finest!
I love how the headlines change as you click to get to the story.
Photographer killed shooting Ferrari linked to Justin Bieber
Photographer killed while trying to shoot Ferrari believed to belong to Justin Bieber
Then when you read a couple lines into the article:
"Bieber's vehicle was not involved in the crash, officials said."
“From what we understand, the car was owned by Justin Bieber, but he was not in the vehicle at the time,”
Lets put the Headlines truthfully and correctly:
'A paparazzo was struck by a car and killed after stupidly taking photos at night in the middle of the road.'
Nobody famous, nor their vehicle was involved in the death. The media just innocently decided to publish a story to make it appear that way in the Headlines even though they knew it would later be dismissed as not true in the article. The media is to blame for paying for this photographer to stalk a kid for a stupid picture and they do not want to take responsibility for hiring this paparazzo, but would rather blame somebody else.
They don't "hire" the paparazzi, they buy their photos if they like them.
Which is why the paparazzi isn't going to disappear. A kid with a camera and some luck can make rent if he can sell his photo.
One magazine editor used to hand out disposable cameras to car wash attendants and pizza deliverers, asking that if they caught a celebrity on film, to bring the camera to him and he'd buy the photo.
What does it matter who's car was pulled over in a traffic stop when it wasn't involved in the accident that killed this guy?
So sorry for the mom with two kids that hit the photographer. She does not deserve this, having to live with the memory of hitting another human with her car, the noise, the feeling of the impact.
This what you call Darwin's Theory of Evolution in practice.
Bieber Fever does Kill!
Regrettable. But does sound like Darwinism at its finest.
Not much--if any--sympathy for the photog. Papparazzo ought to see how much people care for their profession.
While I don't care for the little snot, on this he is correct.
Those Assault vehicles can kill.
While it's easy to pass blame and hate onto the paparazzi, they're just doing a job. If it wasn't for celebrity tabloids, gossip blogs, and fan clubs, there wouldn't be high demand for so many celebrity photos. Don't blame the paparazzi, blame the fanatic celebrity followers that demand and enable the job.
the paparazzi needs to learn to take their photographs from a legal standpoint without violating the civil rights of the celebrities they intent to sell to the "tabloid" style papers whom publish them. i am not a tabloid reader, unless you count wonderwall, which has been digging the bottom of the barrel as of late, coming very hair-pin close to violating the 4th and 5th amendment civil rights of the rich and famous, which i 100% against. if a celebrity says no thank you, then take it for absolute value and leave them alone!
Hey biebs, why don't you STFU and take yourself back to canada
His MOM is Smoking hot.
I think the cop should have done more to control the situation.
But I wasn't there soooooooooooooooooooooo. Never mind.
back to my bong.
If you believe Justin wrote that statement, even a word of it, I have some pictures of him actually writing a song and playing an instrument that I'd like to sell you.
I thought his Ferrari was chrome plated.
Maybe he has more than one.
They say here it was white.
I guess it's good to have friends who loan out Ferraris.
Oh poor, noble, concerned for the little people, Justin Bieber. Mr. I-want-to-drive-my-attention-getting-cars-when-and-where-I-want-and-I-don't-want-any-of-that-attention-until-I-decide-I-want-it. (I know he wasn't driving this time, but have you seen the reflective Fisker Karma he drives around? He's had more than one scrape with the papp in that one, go figure.)
It's celebs like you, who put innocent bystanders in jeopardy. It's not enough for some celebs have what they have, you have to go out and parade it around the streets so everybody can see, and then they pretend how awful all the attention is.
Oh, and Justin? Your legislative initiatives belong in Canada, where you're a citizen. Oh, I know, Canada is the greatest country in the world and doesn't have any problems, right? Well, maybe you can help the elderly cross the street or something.
Beiber is a Canadian, why the hell he is he telling us what laws we need. Go back to Canada you little jerk.
Can't fix stupid
Uh, does the shoe fit?
I, for one, would not shed a single tear for the bozo.
I just want to say that I don't know anything about the kid, but I think Justin responded very well to the incident, calling for a change in laws to help protect everyone involved in the 'celebrity' game.
It's one thing to risk your own safety in the course of making a living, but when you jeopardize innocent bystanders' safety (like the woman with two children), it needs to be against the law.
I was looking for a funny news story to read instead of all the negative stuff. I am glad I finally found it.
Don't know what the young girls see in Justin....the world is changing?! Maybe the males are drinking too much SOY...because he looks like a girl....maybe his mother fed him soy....full of estrogen?
We don't need a law against paparazzi. We need a law against stupidity. But there aren't nearly enough prisons for that.