Lil Tjay has been arrested in Florida following a high-profile shooting outside a casino in Seminole.
The 24-year-old rapper, whose real name is Tione Jayden Merritt, was arrested and booked on suspicion of misdemeanor disorderly conduct-affray, according to reports from PEOPLE.
Merritt was arrested by police on Monday, April 6, before being booked in Broward County Jail. His bond is set for $500. The Bronx native’s arrest comes shortly after Offset was shot in an incident outside a casino in Seminole, Fla.
“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care. He is stable and being closely monitored,” a spokesperson for Offset told PEOPLE.
The Seminole Police Department clarified that Lil Tjay’s arrest was “in connection with the incident that took place Monday night at a valet area outside of Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood.” A second person was also detained at the scene, though they have not been charged. This investigation remains ongoing while authorities attempt to identify additional individuals involved in the shooting.
“One person has been charged in connection with the incident that took place Monday night at a valet area outside of Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood,” the statement reads. “Tione Jayden Merritt has been charged with disorderly conduct-affray, a first-degree misdemeanor under Florida Statute 870.01. The incident began with an affray, or fight. Merritt was booked into the Broward County Jail late last night.”
“A second person detained at the scene has not been charged,” they continued. “The investigation to identify one or more additional persons involved in the incident is ongoing. The injured individual remains at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., with a non-life threatening injury.”
Dawn Florio, Lil Tjay’s lawyer, issued a statement on Instagram prior to his arrest denying “false rumors that Lil Tjay was involved” in the shooting.
“Lil Tjay has not been shot, nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting. Any reporting to the contrary is false,” she wrote at the time.
Florio has not responded to the new reports confirming Lil Tjay’s arrest, but Tjay is declaring his innocence. After being released on bail, he told Florida’s NBC 6 that he didn’t shoot Offset, while also calling the fellow rapper a snitch.
