Lil Tjay was arrested yesterday (June 6), during an Instagram livestream.
The incident was first reported by TMZ and occurred in New York City, as the rapper was filming a clip for a music video.
According to the report, Lil Tjay — whose real name is Tione Jayden Merritt — was approached by police, who showed up at the filming location and arrested him citing reckless endangerment.
Speaking to the outlet, the rapper’s lawyer, Dawn Florio, stated that the arrest was not related to gun possession. At the time it was reported that what prompted the arrest was unclear, however, in a new update, the publication states that the NYPD approached Lil Tjay as he appeared to be waving a firearm while perched on the sunroof of a moving vehicle.
It also announced that law enforcement took him into custody and seized the “weapon” — which turned out to be a fake gun. The musician has reportedly since been charged with criminal possession of a weapon for the imitation pistol.
Lil Tjay has been arrested once again for having a firearm. pic.twitter.com/A049ofAopT
— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) June 6, 2023
At the time he was approached by police, Lil Tjay was filming an Instagram livestream, meaning that footage of his arrest was broadcast to viewers.
As per TMZ, onlookers at the site told the rapper to “stop resisting”. Elsewhere, his lawyer also added that he was charged with obstructing governmental administration after refusing police orders to put his hands behind his back during his arrest. At time of writing, Tjay has not yet responded to these claims.
This isn’t the first time that Lil Tjay has been involved in controversy. Last summer, it was revealed that the 22-year-old rapper was shot seven times while in New Jersey last year.
The shooting took place on June 22 at a local shopping plaza during an attempted armed robbery. Tjay underwent emergency surgery as a result of the incident.
“I’m just checking in with y’all. I just want to say thank you for the love, thanks for the support,” he said, speaking to fans for the first time following the incident. “Seven shots, it was tough… Most people don’t survive it, but I’m here, here for a reason. New music coming soon, we’re going to come back stronger than ever.”
The suspect, 27-year-old Mohamed Konate, was arrested by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and New York City Police Department. He was later charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of first-degree armed robbery, and multiple weapons-related offences.
Tjay later went on to discuss the life-threatening incident in the track ‘Beat The Odds’, which came with a music video that incorporated real-life footage of his recovery in hospital.