Lil Tjay.Photo: Rick Kern/GettyRapperLil Tjaywas arrested for gun possession in New York City, just seven months after he was shot multiple times during an attempted robbery.The “Leaked” rapper, 21, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirms to PEOPLE. He denies having knowledge of the presence of the guns in the car.Tjay (real name Tione Merritt) was riding as a passenger in a Cadillac Escalade in the Bronx on Monday when the vehicle was pulled over for having tinted windows and a missing front license plate, according to theNew York Post.Police reportedly confiscated four guns from the vehicle, and Tjay was one of three people charged.In a statement to PEOPLE, his attorney Dawn Florio said the traffic stop was unwarranted, and that Tjay did not know the guns were in the car.“Lil Tjay was a passenger in a parked vehicle with other passengers. The police had no basis to approach or search the vehicle,” the statement read. “This was an illegal search and seizure and my client should never had been arrested. He denies having any knowledge of what was in the vehicle.“According to his Instagram Story, Tjay was in the Bronx — where he grew up — to shoot a music video.Tjay was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery in June after he wasshot several times during an attempted robberyin Edgewater, New Jersey.He kept fans updated on his condition through social media, and later released the song “Beat the Odds,” which featured footage from his hospital stay and video of him recording the song from his hospital room.In August,he saidhe had been shot seven times, but would “come back stronger than ever.““It was tough, you know,” he said. “Most people don’t survive that, but I’m here. I’m here for a reason.”
Lil Tjay.Photo: Rick Kern/Getty
RapperLil Tjaywas arrested for gun possession in New York City, just seven months after he was shot multiple times during an attempted robbery.The “Leaked” rapper, 21, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirms to PEOPLE. He denies having knowledge of the presence of the guns in the car.Tjay (real name Tione Merritt) was riding as a passenger in a Cadillac Escalade in the Bronx on Monday when the vehicle was pulled over for having tinted windows and a missing front license plate, according to theNew York Post.Police reportedly confiscated four guns from the vehicle, and Tjay was one of three people charged.In a statement to PEOPLE, his attorney Dawn Florio said the traffic stop was unwarranted, and that Tjay did not know the guns were in the car.“Lil Tjay was a passenger in a parked vehicle with other passengers. The police had no basis to approach or search the vehicle,” the statement read. “This was an illegal search and seizure and my client should never had been arrested. He denies having any knowledge of what was in the vehicle.“According to his Instagram Story, Tjay was in the Bronx — where he grew up — to shoot a music video.Tjay was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery in June after he wasshot several times during an attempted robberyin Edgewater, New Jersey.He kept fans updated on his condition through social media, and later released the song “Beat the Odds,” which featured footage from his hospital stay and video of him recording the song from his hospital room.In August,he saidhe had been shot seven times, but would “come back stronger than ever.““It was tough, you know,” he said. “Most people don’t survive that, but I’m here. I’m here for a reason.”
RapperLil Tjaywas arrested for gun possession in New York City, just seven months after he was shot multiple times during an attempted robbery.
The “Leaked” rapper, 21, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirms to PEOPLE. He denies having knowledge of the presence of the guns in the car.
Tjay (real name Tione Merritt) was riding as a passenger in a Cadillac Escalade in the Bronx on Monday when the vehicle was pulled over for having tinted windows and a missing front license plate, according to theNew York Post.
Police reportedly confiscated four guns from the vehicle, and Tjay was one of three people charged.
In a statement to PEOPLE, his attorney Dawn Florio said the traffic stop was unwarranted, and that Tjay did not know the guns were in the car.
“Lil Tjay was a passenger in a parked vehicle with other passengers. The police had no basis to approach or search the vehicle,” the statement read. “This was an illegal search and seizure and my client should never had been arrested. He denies having any knowledge of what was in the vehicle.”
According to his Instagram Story, Tjay was in the Bronx — where he grew up — to shoot a music video.
Tjay was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery in June after he wasshot several times during an attempted robberyin Edgewater, New Jersey.
He kept fans updated on his condition through social media, and later released the song “Beat the Odds,” which featured footage from his hospital stay and video of him recording the song from his hospital room.
In August,he saidhe had been shot seven times, but would “come back stronger than ever.”
“It was tough, you know,” he said. “Most people don’t survive that, but I’m here. I’m here for a reason.”
source: people.com
