Suge Knight hands himself into police after alleged hit and run homicide by rap mogul

Gangsta rap mogul Suge Knight has handed himself in to police after allegedly killing a man in a hit-and-run incident.

Officers said that Knight, 49, the former CEO of Death Row Records, was involved in an argument on the set of the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, before driving over two men in his truck, killing one of them.

Knight's lawyer, James Blatt, said his client told him it was an accident, and he was trying to escape being attacked, when he ran over the men at 3pm EST on Thursday 29 January.

Earlier though police said eyewitnesses claimed it was deliberate.

"The people we have talked to have said it looked like it was an intentional act, so we're handling it as a homicide," Lt John Corina said.

The man killed was named by Blatt as Terry Carter, and the man injured as Cle Shaheed "Bone" Sloan.

Carter is a former business partner of rapper Ice Cube, reports the New York Daily News, while Sloan was described as a "friend" of Knight.

"I turn to look out and I seen Suge Knight turn around and go to his car. He backed his car up and put it in drive and hit Terry Carter. He ran him over twice," witness Robert Smith told ABC7.

Knight's truck was found about 20 miles from the site of the hit and run, in Westwood.

Police previously issues a notice saying Knight was armed and dangerous, and wanted on suspicion of homicide.

The rap mogul, whose Death Row Records label he co-founded with Dr Dre, launched the careers of rappers including Snoop Doggy Dogg, is currently on $500,000 bail after allegedly stealing a paparazzo's camera.

He has previously served time in jail for assault and parole violations.