Who shot Lil Tjay? NY rapper, 21, still in danger after emergency surgery
American rapper Lil TJay was shot on June 22, Wednesday, in the Edgewater area of New Jersey. The law enforcement sources revealed that the rapper was taken away for emergency surgery after the alleged shooting, but the extent of his wounds and damage was not revealed. While TJay, whose real name is Tione Merritt, is still said to be in danger, reports claim that he is better than before and expected to recover soon. Initial reports claim that there were two shootings that night.
The news comes from TMZ's desk whose 'law enforcement' sources were the first to talk about the incident. The site reports that there were two shootings sites, one at a Chipotle restaurant, and the other at a nearby Exxon Gas station. A second victim is also mentioned but no other concrete information was shared. The news was later updated by the site claiming that the 21-year-old rapper appeared to be doing slightly better but wasn't out of the woods yet. The police acted quickly and were hard at work with the investigation. Soon enough, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office called this an attempted robbery against the rapper and 2 of his friends.
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Prosecutor Mark Musella explained that the shooting took place at 14 The Promenade, Edgewater, NJ on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at approximately 12:08 a.m. and that the Edgewater Police Department responded to a 911 destress call reporting a shooting. The press release said, "Officers also responded to the Exxon Station located at 478 River Road, Edgewater, where they located another 22-year-old victim with a gunshot wound. Both victims were transported to an area hospital where they are being treated."
Edgewater police and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office also inspected a red Dodge Durango with a bullet hole in the driver's window, as well as a blood-stained towel.
Who shot Lil Tjay?
Bronx.news12.com claims that the officials have arrested Mohamed Konate, 27, of New York City on charges of armed robbery, and attempted murder and accuses the man of firing at the rapper. They also identified Tjay's friends who were with him - Jeffrey Valdez, 24, and Antoine Boyd, 22, who were shot at too. In the process, Konate ended up hurting Tjay with multiple shots and Boyd. The prosecutor's office took to their social media to explain that at least one victim was out of danger, "Update on #BCPONJ & @EdgewaterPolice investigation in Edgewater NJ shooting: per initial investigation, does not appear to be a random act and one victim upgraded from critical to a stable condition. Other admitted to hospital with non-life threatening injuries in good condition."
But this later announcement did not directly state whether the raper was the one described as having suffered the more severe injuries between the two victims.
The New York rapper has 7 million followers on Instagram and has released two studio albums through Columbia Records that each charted in the top 5 on the Billboard 200. His 2021 song with singer 6lack "Calling My Name" debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Tjay's last Instagram story from Tuesday, June 21 said "Just because you've been around a person doesn't make you entitled to the fruits of that persons labor. Envy Is At An All Time High Be Safe Otchea."
Update on #BCPONJ & @EdgewaterPolice investigation in Edgewater NJ shooting: per initial investigation, does not appear to be random act and one victim upgraded from critical to stable condition. Other admitted to hospital with non-life threatening injuries in good condition.
— BCPONJ (@BCPONJ) June 22, 2022
A surveillance video from the Exxon station on River Road that hasn't been made public yet shows one of the victims being taken out of a white security car and being put into an ambulance. This is the same car that patrols City Place. This man was first spotted by Peter Ditkas and Luigi Mancini, graduating high school seniors, saying "He was belly down in the back seat, just hanging out. We thought he was drunk."
For Konate, if convicted, three counts of attempted murder and armed robbery are the least charges. However, Tjay's acquaintances Valdez and Boyd were also arrested following the incident on weapons possession charges and were both being held in Bergen County Jail, according to prosecutors. As of 8 pm Wednesday, June 22, Konate was awaiting extradition to New Jersey.