Rakim Mayers, popularly known as rapper A$AP Rocky, has been charged with assault for the shooting of his former friend in Hollywood. The 33-year-old rapper now faces two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s office said that there are also allegations of the rapper personally using a handgun.
“Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood. My office conducted a thorough review of the evidence in this case and determined that the addition of a special firearm allegation was warranted,” the attorney’s office stated.
According to reports, this shooting occurred on November 6, 2021, after an argument in Hollywood. The rapper had allegedly brought out his gun and fired shots twice at his former friend, who sustained minor injuries and later sought medical treatment.
ASAP Rocky Being Charged With Assault With a Firearm in Hollywood Shooting Case https://t.co/3T7pdIa5QE
— USA Noise (@usanoise) August 16, 2022
The rapper and two other people with him immediately fled the scene. The police department did not identify the victim but iterated he was now fine after receiving medical help. Ephron came forward last week as the person allegedly shot in the confrontation and revealed plans to file a civil lawsuit against his ex-friend.
His lawyers said, “After arriving at the location, a conversation ensued whereby without provocation, warning, or any justification, A$AP Rocky produced the handgun and intentionally fired multiple shots at Mr. Ephron.”
He was arrested earlier this year at the Los Angeles International Airport after vacationing in Barbados with his girlfriend and the mother of his child, Rihanna. They were met by police after landing in a private plane while returning to the country.
The rapper’s attorney, Alan Jackson, had confirmed the arrest to the media. However, he had given no further information and refused to comment on the situation. Representatives for Rihanna have also declined to respond to requests for comments.
This is not the rapper’s first involvement in an assault scandal. On June 30, 2019, the rapper and his security team allegedly assaulted a man named Mustafa Jafari in the streets of Stockholm by punching, kicking, and cutting until he received multiple lacerations and a fractured rib. He was arrested, charged, and found guilty of this assault in July that same year by a court in Sweden.
Mayers and his team argued that their actions were only to defend themselves, but the court disagreed. The court was merciful, however, as they were given conditional sentences. If they didn’t commit a similar offense, they could avoid jail time and return to their country.
The new case is still active and being investigated by the Los Angeles Police department’s Robbery/ Homicide Division. Mayers is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.
This story syndicated with permission from For the Love of News
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