Los Angeles can be a colorful place. You can drive down all the major highways, look up at tall buildings, glance over at street signs, and see the spray paint dripping down. Some of it is gorgeous work by talented artists, but much of it is just a quick scribble with a nickname or tag name to sign the work. These impromptu paintings mean absolutely nothing to people who aren't in the scene, but they mean everything in the world to those who are. Some say tagging is a form of self-expression, a way for graffiti artists to make their mark and show their work off to the public. This was a mentality that San Fernando Valley stripper Candy knew all too well. Candy was known to be a part of a Los Angeles tagging crew called the TKO's. Sources say, for several years, the TKO's and a rival tagging gang known as the MTAs didn't really see eye to eye. Much of their time was spent tagging over the other's work with their monikers and crew names. Over the last decade, this led to many fistfights, but these disputes were always handled one-on-one. Candy really wanted to be a part of the crew. But even more than that, she wanted to be truly accepted. One member of TKO told AMW that Candy would spend hours at a time practicing her tags and murals. She wanted to be the best, and over six years of hard work, she improved to a point where her graffiti murals were featured in a book called Graffiti Women. Cops say shots were being fired from two directions, and people were screaming and crying. Turning Over A New Leaf On the night of May 11, 2006, cops say Candy and her boyfriend, Gabriel, decided to crash an art show being held at a tattoo shop in the Valley. A former MTA tagger by the name of Anthony Sena had organized the show. Anthony had recently had a daughter and made the decision to leave the world of illegal tagging. He decided to put his talent to good use by putting his artwork on canvas and selling it. Along with painting, Anthony was also a talented tattoo artist at a shop called Needle Pushers in Van Nuys. The art show was something that Tony and his friends worked hard on. They created fliers and spread the word on MySpace. Tony's mom told AMW that he was extremely proud of and excited for the event. The art show was supposed to be a night for family and friends: people brought their babies with them, and there were toddlers running around. Tony's mom, aunt, and sister arrived just as it was starting to get dark. Tony's mom told us that, by that time, the event was getting crowded. In fact, the show was so crowded that people had begun to spill out onto the sidewalk and the parking lot in front of Needle Pushers. In addition to Tony's family and friends, a lot of MTA's were there to support Tony and the other artists who were displaying their work on canvas. But around 10:30 p.m., things took a turn for the worst. People inside the art show got word that the TKO's were there, and that they were ready to fight. Some people who were at the art show say that members of the TKO's had brought chains -- and even an axe -- with them. Fights were breaking out all over, and things were slowly starting to spiral out of control. Some of the MTA's knew who Candy was because they had seen her around, and had seen her work before. They knew that she was at the art show, and they knew that she had brought her friends with her. Cops say that without any warning, two gunmen opened fire on the crowd. Many of the bullets hit walls inside the tattoo shop, and a window was blown out. Witnesses say the calm show turned into chaos in a matter of minutes. People were huddled on the ground, and trying to hide to protect themselves. Open Fire Cops say shots were being fired from two directions, and people were screaming and crying. When the shooting stopped, the gunmen and Candy took off on foot. When the scene cleared, everyone got up except for one person. Tony, the man who put the entire event together to promote his artwork, was laying on the ground in a puddle of blood. Tony's friends ran to him and tried to help until EMS workers could arrive. He was semi-conscious, and immediately was rushed to the hospital. Tony's friend Jeff said that the entire crowd from the art show, including Tony's family, relocated to the hospital to be near him. Nobody could believe how such a great night could turn so sour, so quickly. Sadly, Tony didn't make it. He died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Police believe that Candy and the two men she brought with her to the art show are responsible for Tony's death. One of the men, Gabriel -- who is believed to have been Candy's boyfriend at the time -- turned himself in and has been charged with murder. But Candy and the second gunman, who is still unidentified, remain on the run. EDITED *Dont be dropping FULL NAMES AND PICS. yes you may be able to find their pics and full names online. but you dont have to post that shit here. -kay*
i remember seeing "candy" in a video i saw with TKO in it. i think it was war 3. but thats some fucked up shit. beef should never leave the walls.
Shooting people over graffiti is stupid, beat the fucks ass and go over his shit untill the day you die.
i remember in piece of mind that most TKO guys carry a gat.it shouldnt be like that.write and unite,put down the gun and have fun
i was smokin a blunt when i saw this shit on americas most wanted.... and with guiliani or how ever you spell his name...becoming president i bet you some shit is gunna go down...now graffiti has a extremely bad rep
putin a gun to sumones face over graff is retarted, whoop they ass and let it be, if they cover yo shit cover theirs, we don't need guns for this, this is art, if you start shit end it with yo fists, but don't kill dudes over graff, yamsayin.
is this shit for real? because these people sound like morons shooting people over some paintings? like what the fucker, u sure this shit is real?
i saw zion on gtas most wanted but i dint know what it was about he was just talking about graff. he wasnt wanted
yall got torelize its not about graffiti yeah it might start out that way but it doesnt stay that way soon its about someone jump so and so and then gettin them back, someone fuck soso's lil brother up that had ntohign to do with they beef, shit liek that then it turns from graff beef to personal... and that shit esclades real quick.. that sucks for buddy tho rip... sad shit a stripper named candy how orignal//
i lived in van nuys for 13 to 14 years of my life im 17 and this shit does not surprise me at all i seen both of theese crews up i wasnt even aware that they beefed it but this shit is not news theres so many dumb motherfuckers in the 818 they are stupid as fuck they been stupid and they will remain stupid
the way i look at it someone did something stupid and they paid for it...you think they would shoot him beacause he was crossing their tags...definetly not theres a story behind this that no one but the ppl in those 2 crews noo simple ass that....shit happens learn from it