A$AP Rocky, a rapper, has been accused with assault with a handgun in relation to a shooting that occurred in Hollywood the previous year.
The actor, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, is accused of pointing the gun after an argument with a former buddy in November.
He allegedly fired the handgun twice more after that, striking the victim, who was just slightly hurt.
If found guilty, the 33-year-old, who has had two US number one albums, could spend up to nine years behind bars.
The rapper, who in May gave birth to a child with singer Rihanna, is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday to answer two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and claims of using a firearm on his own person.
The charges were not immediately addressed by his attorney.
“Discharging a gun in a public location is a severe offense that might have resulted in fatal results, not just for the individual targeted but also for innocent onlookers visiting Hollywood,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.
“After carefully examining the facts in this case, my office concluded that it was appropriate to add a particular firearm charge.”
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna gave birth to a boy, their first child, in May of this year.
When the actor was detained at the Los Angeles International Airport upon his return from a vacation with Rihanna, news of the shooting first surfaced in April. Three hours later, he was freed after paying a $550,000 (£421,000) bail.
Following Mr. Mayers’ arrest, police executed a search warrant at his residence and discovered numerous firearms there.
A$AP Mob rapper Terell Ephron, who claimed to be the victim, filed a lawsuit against his ex-friend last week, alleging assault and battery, carelessness, and emotional distress.
A$AP Relli, another name for Mr. Ephron, claimed that Mr. Mayers had “lured” him to a secret location in Hollywood to talk about a dispute.
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Mayers “took out a firearm and purposely pointed it in the direction of [Mr. Ephron] and fired multiple shots” following a verbal disagreement.
According to the court documents, Mr. Ephron’s left hand was “hit by gunshot projectile/fragments” and needed medical attention. He demands damages of at least $25,000 (£20,750).
In the past, Mr. Mayers received a two-year suspended sentence for his participation in a fight that occurred in Stockholm in August 2019.
He achieved eight platinum hits in the US as A$AP Rocky, becoming one of the decade’s biggest breakout performers. These singles include Wild For The Night, Everyday, LSD, and A$AP Forever.
He gained notoriety as a result of Drake’s support and has collaborated with Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez, and Kendrick Lamar, among others.
Last year, he declared Rihanna to be his “love of my life” and “the one,” confirming their relationship.
Source: Asaaseradio.com
