Rihanna’s boyfriend and father to her child A$AP Rocky was charged with two felonies for pulling a gun on a former friend and firing in Hollywood last year, prosecutors said.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged the 33-year-old New York native, whose legal name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers, with two counts of assault with a semi automatic firearm.
Prosecutors allege that, during an argument on November 6, Mayers pointed the handgun at the victim, then in a subsequent confrontation drew the gun again and fired twice in the direction of the man, who sustained a minor injury.
The victim’s name has not been released.
Mayers has not entered a plea to the charges. An email seeking comment from representatives was not immediately returned.
“Discharging a gun in a public place is a serious offense that could have ended with tragic consequences not only for the person targeted but also for innocent bystanders visiting Hollywood,” said District Attorney George Gascón.
Mayers and two other men fled the scene after he fired the gun, police said. He was first arrested for the incident at Los Angeles International Airport on April 20, and was released on bail the same day.
A member of the Harlem hip hop collective A$AP Mob, A$AP Rocky first made his mark in music with the single “Peso” in 2011. His 2013 debut album, “Long. Live. A$AP,” went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as did its 2015 follow-up, “At. Long. Last. A$AP.” He has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.
He is in a relationship with Rihanna, and the two had a son in May.
Locals in Crystal Palace were shocked and delighted after Rihanna was spotted alongside partner ASAP Rocky in a local barber shop in their first public appearance since the birth.
The Hollywood power couple made an unexpected appearance at the shop in Anerley Hill, Crystal Palace, before being mobbed by fans.
Mayers released his last studio album four years ago, and like Rihanna has become as known for fashion trendsetting as he is for music.
He was the focus of international attention in 2019 after being detained for nearly a month in Sweden following a street brawl. He was found guilty of assault and given a “conditional sentence” that meant no additional time in jail.
