One of the co-creators of the iconic “Harlem Shake” dance was fatally shot in his New York City home in December, according to the New York Daily News.
Jesse Rutland, a member of the Crazy Boyz Dance Crew, was rushed to a nearby Brooklyn hospital on Dec. 10, where he eventually passed away.
He was 37.
His crew developed the catchy dance move that peaked in popularity in the early 2000s.
Rutland’s alleged killer, Kumar Reid, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder and weapons possession. He is facing 25 years in jail.
“Jesse (Smiley) Rutland has been senselessly murdered on in his home with his children nearby,” wrote Maurice Strayhorn, another co-creator of the dance, in a Facebook tribute last month. “He was shot at 7:35 a.m. His 6 year old son attempted to revive him and ran out in the snow seeking help from a neighbor.”
Rutland leaves behind a wife and young son.