7:30AM PST:
Justin released a statement, saying ... "Hopefully this tragedy will
finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary
steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers,
innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves."
8:40PM PST:
Justin Bieber
was not in the
Ferrari ... sources familiar with the situation tell
TMZ. We're told one of Justin's friends was driving and another friend
was in the passenger seat.
A paparazzo attempting to shoot photos of
Justin Bieber's
Ferrari was hit by another car and killed this evening -- although
Bieber was NOT behind the wheel of the Ferrari ... TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Bieber's white Ferrari was pulled over
by
California Highway Patrol for speeding on the 405 ... near the
Getty
Center in
LA. The CHP directed the driver to pull off the freeway,
onto
Sepulveda Blvd.
According to our sources, Bieber was DEFINITELY not driving at the time.
We're
told a paparazzo -- who was following the Ferrari at the time of the
pull over -- attempted to snap pics while officers conducted the traffic
stop.
The photog then crossed Sepulveda to snap pics and was
told twice by the CHP to go back to his car on the other side of the
road. When the photog tried crossing back, he was struck by an oncoming
vehicle as he crossed back and was killed.
Our sources say drugs and alcohol were not a factor for the driver of the vehicle that hit the photog.
LAPD is now on scene investigating the incident.
Justin Bieber needs to rethink loaning his car out to Lil Twist, because his Lil Friend just got another ticket in JB's Lil Fisker Karma.
