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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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"Bieber's vehicle was not involved in the crash, officials said."
But you can bet your paycheck that the family of the dead paparazzo will sue Bieber somehow, someway.
It is difficult to feel sorry for the photographer after he was warned multiple times by the police office that he was in danger.
My sympathy goes to the mother and her children who have been traumatized because the idiot photographer had no common sense.
If he was so stupid that he had to be warned to not cross a freeway, he was too stupid to heed the warning. Oh, well, the gene pool is a little smarter today.
It is an insult to true photographers to call this blood-sucking leech a photographer. He is (was) a slut...pure and simple. Greedy snot-rags like this who steal a living off the good graces of others are an abomination. To hell with the touchy-feely crud out there.
I wonder if Bieber is facing any potential charges? Involuntary Manslaughter perhaps? After all his celebrity resulted in the poor photogs demise and someone must answer for this tragic loss of life.
I'm sure there is more than one attorney or other bottom feeder trying to come up with an angle one this.
I feel sorry for the driver of the car, but one less paparazzi is a good way to start the year.
One idioto tries to take a picture of another idot's possession...Sad, isn't it?
No.
This story could very well have ended with the injury of the woman driving the car, her children, or others in the area instead of the photographer (as in, she veers her car to avoid him).
What a stupid way to die. Who wants some picture of the car of Usher's butt boy anyway?
Why is this making the news.??? This no talent, thug/punk Wannabe is his own worse enemy. Just give him time and he to will disappear...
One can only hope.
This is truly a sad story. #1, I don't understand why that young man Bieber Bubblehead is so popular. He's a no talent jerk. He is a child. A spoiled rotten child. Talent? If he had any real talent, he would just not flaunt himself out in public or loan his car to friends. The guy that got killed was another jerk for attempting to get pictures of a so-called star by stalking him. Bubble-Head - this is your fault. My sympathies are with the mother with the kids. What a horrific thing for the children to see. And yes, it brings to mind Diana. Hounded to death by people like the one that got killed and for what. Pictures? Do they really think most of the public can't wait to see the pictures?
Ok, how is this Justin Bieber's fault? Nitwit! How is he any different from any other young kid that might lend his car to friends? This is really just a tragic accident. When are the tabloids that pay for these pictures ever going to carry any responsibility for this nonsense of chasing down celebrities for photos?
One less celebrity hemorrhoid. Life goes on.
Life is so precious - what a shame.
Wow, a dead pappi, now that's news. Come to think of it, it's good news.
Absolutely, one down several hundred to go.
Sorry for the death, but I think the driver of the car should sue the estate of the photographer for endangering her children. She should also sue the press for creating this whole "papparazzi" frenzy in the first place.
Wait a minute - - wait - - wait - - - - NAH, just not feeling any symanthy . . .
I saw one joke in here about it, but no one has mentioned it straight forward. Why is the headline written so that you are lead to believe that someone was shooting at the Beib instead of a camera guy? With all that has gone on lately, did the writer assume that alluding to a shooting would get readers? Do you get ratings based on how many people open the article? If so, this is turning into Star magazine.
Common phraseology is that you "shoot" pictures. Since they used the word phtographer in the headline, most people would assume he was shooting pictures.
Still the wording of the headline was misleading. "Trying to take photos of" would have described the incident completely. What more can we expect from the media. The spindoctors have been digging deep to stir the pot lately.
Got what he deserved, standing in the middle of the road to get a picture. Who want's a picture of that fag anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess it was a shot to die for....
Good.
Gotta say I feel worse for the lady just driving down the road minding her own business than the idiot who probably ran right out in front of her car... AFTER being warned by the CHP officer that he was at risk.
Darwin scores again!
Separating the wheat from the chaff.
This story had basically nothing to do with Justin Bieber, yet NBC news chose to show two pictures of Justin and no pictures relevant to the story? Like maybe a picture of the Ferrari, the police officer, the car that hit the photographer, or the accident scene?
A photographer standing in traffic near a distracting scene is a recipe for disaster. Perhaps NBC could have focused on why the police didn't have better control of the situation instead of behaving like paparazzo and chasing after Justin Bieber.
It seems likes like da Bieber is always getting pulled over - in a Ferrari he hasn't racked up enough points to lose his license already? In CALIFORNIA?
Why not? Is he getting pulled over so that cops can ask him for autographs?
No problem, but I guess I can go ahead and shoot down the drones flying over my house, and seek out and kill the persons "driving them" over my house, that would be exactly the same thing--Right?
Warren...loved your posting...really tired of all the hype of this no talent canadian...wouldn't know music if it bit him....really hate the life size cutouts you see in alot of stores perfume depts...enough to make you hurl..