22nd November, 2023
By Taiwo Okanlawon
US rapper, Rakim Mayers widely known as A$AP Rocky will stand trial for shooting at a former childhood friend, a judge has ruled.
Rocky, was alleged to have fired a handgun at ex-friend, Terell Ephron on the streets near a Hollywood hotel in 2021, causing minor injuries.
On Monday, the Los Angeles judge ruled that there is enough evidence for A$AP Rocky to stand trial on the charges against him.
The 35-year-old rapper, according to the judge, is to face two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
Rocky, who has two children with singer Rihanna, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
According to prosecutors, he could face up to 24 years in prison if found guilty.
On the first day of the hearing, which resumed on Monday, Ephron said he and Rocky had belonged to the same collective of musicians and artistes at their New York high school.
He said they had a misunderstanding on November 6, 2021.
Ephron, who is known as A$AP Relli, alleged that Rocky first pulled a gun on him, and in a later confrontation fired shots that grazed his knuckles.
According to court documents, Ephron was “struck by bullet projectile/fragments” in his left hand and required medical attention.
He is seeking at least $25,000 (£20,000) in damages.
Rihanna and Rocky made their relationship public in December 2020 after being longtime friends.
In May 2022, the celebrity couple welcomed their first child, while Riot Rose, the couple’s second child, was born on August 3, 2023.