Fact Check: Video of drive-by shootout in daylight not linked to gangster Goldy Brar

Hyderabad: CCTV footage reportedly showing a shootout that resulted in the death of Goldy Brar – the gangster accused of orchestrating the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala – has been circulating on socials.

The 30-second video shows an SUV approaching a street, a person in a hoodie exiting the moving vehicle and firing indiscriminately. The shooter swiftly re-enters the car, which then drives away. The person being shot is not visible.

Sharing the video on X, a user wrote, “#SidhuMooseWala The mastermind behind the murder, Goldy Brar, was shot dead in California… Dalla Lakhvir gang is suspected. (translated from Hindi)”

NewsMeter found that the video shows an incident from July 30, 2023, in New Orleans, USA. It is not related to Goldy Brar.

We performed the reverse image search of the video's keyframes and found the same clip in a Fox 8 report published on July 31, 2023. The video was titled, ‘VIDEO: Two women injured in hail of gunfire in 7th Ward.’

Further, we also found a report by local news station 4WWL , published on July 30, 2023. The report said that the shooting happened in the 1800 block of Industry Street in New Orleans and injured two women. Two women, ages 76 and 36, were wounded in the shooting. Further, the report added that injuries are non-life-threatening and the circumstance is unknown.

We also found the video on the YouTube channel of WDSU News titled ‘Video shows two women shot on Industry Street after gunmen open fire.’ A detailed report by WSDU News explained the same incident.

US police on rumours about Goldy Bar’s death

Meanwhile, the US police have denied reports that Goldy Brar was shot dead in California. India Today published an article titled ‘US Police deny reports of Goldy Brar’s murder: ‘Incorrect’. “The US Police have denied that Goldy Brar, the gangster behind Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala's murder, was shot dead in California, claiming that such reports were ‘incorrect’,” the report said. It was updated on May 2, 2024.

According to a report by NDTV, published on May 2, titled ‘How Gangster Goldy Brar’s Death Rumours Spread, Forcing US Cops To Clarify,’ the rumours of Goldy death surfaced on social media on May 2, alleging Brar's involvement in a club altercation in Fresno, resulting in gunfire and his demise. However, Lieutenant William J Dooley of the Fresno Police Department clarified that the victim of the Fresno shooting was not Brar, debunking the online rumors.

In May 2022, Punjabi artist Sidhu Moosewala was killed in Punjab, India. Gangster Goldy Brar, associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the murder, citing vengeance

Hence, it is clear that the video of the shooting is not related to Goldy Brar.