Marion “Suge” Knight, rapper and a founder of Death Row Records, and two others were shot Sunday at a pre-MTV VMA party hosted by singer Chris Brown. Knight is reported to be the intended target of the shooting, according to West Hollywood homicide officials.

The incident occurred at 1:30 a.m. Sunday at the 1OAK on West Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard. A suspect in the shooting escaped as the crowds ran screaming from the packed night club.

Knight, 49, who reportedly walked from the night club with several bullet wounds before he was helped into a sheriff’s cruiser and finally taken from the scene by paramedics, underwent emergency surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. A trail of blood remains where Knight walked from the club to the sheriff’s cruiser.

A 32-year-old man and 19-year-old woman were also wounded during the shooting and are being treated at a Los Angeles hospital.

“They were transported to local hospitals and they are expected to recover,” said Deputy Crystal Hernandez of the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau.

Knight, who has had many run-ins with the law, was the apparent target of the shooting, said Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, after reviewing video footage inside the night club.

“Video shows the suspect with a handgun firing at Knight and striking the two other victims who were in his vicinity,” Corina said. ”After the shooting people who were in the club started running for the exits along with the suspect.”

Shooting of hip-hop mogul Suge Knight a ‘crime of opportunity’ http://t.co/NAmRX9hQPf pic.twitter.com/PhlkCFmHHt

— Hamilton Spectator (@TheSpec) August 25, 2014

Sunday’s shooting may be associated with gang rivalry and Knight’s connections with Compton’s Bloods gang, say sources in law enforcement. Other sources said several known members of the Bloods gang were at the party at the time of the shooting.

Several partygoers posted on Twitter and Instagram video clips of the event, in which shots can be heard and revelers seen ducking before heading for the doors.

.@jness935: Looks like shooting targeted @chrisbrown & @SugeKnight was caught on @Instagram, http://t.co/FOQAeMR1x9 pic.twitter.com/Inl4m4bdqF

— FLOW 93-5 (@Flow935) August 24, 2014

.@jness935: @chrisbrown & @sugeknight targets in shooting @ #VMA pre-party. Suge was hit twice, currently in hospital pic.twitter.com/r7WIV6LFTo

— FLOW 93-5 (@Flow935) August 24, 2014

Following the shooting, Brown was quickly surrounded by his security people.

[News] Inside Footage Of The #1Oak #SugeKnight & @ChrisBrown Shooting Released | via @TMZ http://t.co/5bgTwFCt6X pic.twitter.com/2m2VOzLe9m

— Sound Hype (@Sound_Hype) August 25, 2014

“This was just a regular night of fun on the Sunset Strip, and it was disrupted by criminals,” said West Hollywood Mayor John D’Amico. “Hopefully the Sheriff’s Department will find out who the person or persons were and prosecute them to the full extent of the law.”

It's disappointing that we as a society can't have fun or enjoy ourselves without any altercations sometimes. Miss me with the bullshit!!!

— Chris Brown (@chrisbrown) August 24, 2014

Knight’s family called on fans to pray for the music mogul.

“The family of Suge Knight asks that you keep Suge in your prayers and to stray away from the negativity portrayed by the media,” Knight’s family said in a statement to Revolt. “Suge is currently resting and has lost a lot of blood; he’s human. He’s done a lot of things for the community and the culture as a whole so we ask that you respect that.”