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Suge Knight shot

Suge Knight - file

MIAMI BEACH (AP):

THE MTV VIDEO Music Awards escaped the drama and damage of Hurricane Katrina but was last night faced with being overshadowed by another dangerous name Suge Knight.

The Death Row Records founder, who has been at the center of some of hip hop's most violent moments, was shot in the leg early yesterday morning at a party thrown by Kanye West and attended by stars including Jessica Alba, Eddie Murphy, Paris Hilton, the Game and The Black Eyed Peas.

Although Knight's injuries were not life-threatening, the violence dampened the celebratory vibe of the event. MTV said the shooting would not affect the show.

The shooting took place just before 1:00 a.m. Screaming guests fled the party, streaming outside or taking cover in other parts of the hotel. Police were at the hotel at the time of the shooting, yet made no arrests.

The burly Knight was one of the most powerful and feared music figures of the 1990s, with superstar rappers like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur in his stable.

"As with all of our events, MTV has a zero tolerance policy in regards to weapons and we take appropriate security precautions to ensure the safety of our guests," the network said in a statement.