Man in custody after stabbing death of Nicki Minaj's tour member in East Mt. Airy

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Friday, February 20, 2015
VIDEO: Man in custody after stabbing death of Nicki Minaj's tour manager
Philadelphia police have made an arrest just two days after two of Nicki Minaj's team members were stabbed - one fatally.

MT. AIRY (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police say they have one man in custody and are searching for two others in connection with the stabbing death of a member of rapper Nicki Minaj's touring group earlier this week outside an East Mount Airy bar.



Captain James Clark tells us, "We've identified all the participants on both sides, and an arrest is imminent on this murder."



29-year-old De'Von Pickett of New York, who was working for Minaj, was in town for rehearsals for her upcoming European tour.



Pickett and 27-year-old Eric Parker of Philadelphia went with a group of friends Tuesday night to Che Bar and Grill, located in the 6300 block of Stenton Avenue.



When the bar closed, around 2:30 a.m., Pickett and Parker's group got into a fight with a group of local men on the sidewalk just down the street from the bar.



Police say the altercation was allegedly sparked by a dispute over a woman who worked in the bar.



"Both of the parties both knew a female who worked at the bar, and the arguments centered around her," Captain Clark explained.



Clark says a verbal altercation quickly escalated into a physical confrontation. One of the men pulled out a knife and stabbed both Pickett and Parker multiple times.



Pickett was killed, and Parker was critically injured.



Police are searching for two other persons-of-interest.



They are known to police but their names have not yet been released.



On her verified Twitter account on Wednesday, Nicki Minaj confirmed her association with the victims, writing, "Two members of my team were stabbed last night in Philly. One was killed. They had only been there for two days rehearsing for the tour."





Rapper Fabulous posted a photo of the two men on Instagram.





Other performers were taking to social media to comment on Pickett's murder and to wish Parker encouragement in his recovery.



A representative from the bar had no comment on the incident.



As with all homicides, the City of Philadelphia is offering a $20,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

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