West News Wire: According to authorities, Rocky pulled a gun on a former acquaintance in Hollywood last year and fired, for which he was charged with two felonies on Monday.
The 33-year-old Rakim Athelaston Mayers, a native of New York, was accused by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office of two charges of assault with a semiautomatic weapon.
On November 6, 2021, according to the prosecution, Mayers aimed a handgun at the victim during an argument. Later, after a physical altercation, Mayers allegedly drew the weapon once again and fired twice in the victim’s direction, causing a slight injury. His identity has not been made public.
Mayers has not entered a plea to the charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. 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 said in a statement.
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.
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.
