Rapper Too Short’s brother shot and killed in East Oakland

The brother of rap legend Too Short was fatally shot in East Oakland on Wednesday morning, according to multiple people familiar with the incident. 

Wayne Shaw, 61, was fatally shot around 7 a.m. on 49th Avenue near East 12th Street, Oakland police said. 

He was shot on a sidewalk after multiple suspects tried to ram a vehicle through the front door of the apparent cannabis business, Oakland Police Department Deputy Chief Frederick Shavies said. Shaw walked out and confronted the suspects, who shot him as they fled, Shavies said. 

Paramedics took Shaw to a hospital, where he died, police said. No arrests had been made as of Wednesday afternoon. 

After the shooting, detectives canvassed the vicinity, an area lined with a mix of industrial properties and homes, searching for surveillance video and possible witnesses, Shavies said.

Details about the operations of the business where Shaw was shot were limited. City officials said they had no records of a cannabis permit application or business tax returns associated with the property. 

Multiple people familiar with the incident said Shaw was the older brother of Bay Area rapper Too Short, born Todd Anthony Shaw. The people, who were not authorized to speak publicly, were granted anonymity under Chronicle policies.

An influential figure in West Coast hip-hop, Too Short is a musician and producer who rose to fame in the late 1980s with songs about Oakland street life. 

His brother’s killing marked the 12th homicide in the city this year, an uptick compared to nine cases in the same period last year. The increase comes after the city saw a 35% decrease in homicides last year, after four years of elevated homicide rates. 

Police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators at 510-238-3821 or to call the department’s tip line at 510-238-7950. 

Reach David Hernandez: david.hernandez@sfchronicle.com. Reach Rachel Swan: rswan@sfchronicle.com