A$AP Rocky Charged With Assault With Firearm In L.A. Shooting
A$AP Rocky has been formally charged with assault with a firearm after being accused of shooting his friend during an encounter in Los Angeles. According to Rolling Stone, Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, was hit with charges after Terell Ephron, aka A$AP Relli, identified the rapper as the triggerman in the incident, which occurred in Hollywood in November 2021.
If found guilty, Rocky faces up to nine years in prison for the crime. The charges were announced on Monday (Aug. 15) in a statement by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who touched on the potential danger the shooting could’ve caused.
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“Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood,” Gascón said in a statement. “My office conducted a thorough review of the evidence in this case and determined that the addition of a special firearm allegation was warranted.”
A$AP Rocky and his legal team have yet to release a statement regarding the allegations.
According to Ephron, a longtime friend of Rocky and former member of A$AP Mob, he was lured to a secluded area in Hollywood by the rapper to discuss a prior disagreement. Upon meeting Rocky, Ephron claims the rapper brandished a firearm and shot multiple times in his direction, wounding him in the hand. News of the shooting wouldn’t surface until Rocky’s arrest in April 2022 after landing at the LAX airport following a trip to girlfriend Rihanna’s home country of Barbados. The rapper was not formally charged at the time but was released on $500,000 bond shortly after.
A raid of Rocky’s home also led to the discovery of multiple firearms, which were all “lawfully purchased and legally registered,” per sources close to the rapper. According to Ephron’s attorneys, the alleged victim has announced plans to file a civil lawsuit against Rocky, citing “multiple death threats and irreparable harm to his career in the entertainment industry as a result of this incident.”
Rocky is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday (Aug. 17).
