The rapper was allegedly the victim of an attempted robbery when he was shot Wednesday morning in New Jersey.
Lil Tjay is hospitalized following surgery after being gunned down on Wednesday. A suspect was arrested and charged following the shooting, Bergen County prosecutors say.
The incident occurred at an outdoor shopping center in Edgewater, New Jersey. Lil Tjay, born Tione Jayden Merritt, was at a Chipotle restaurant where he was shot multiple times and later found by police just after midnight.
Antoine Boyd, another shooting victim, was found by police “a mile from the Chipotle, with a single gunshot wound,” NBC News reports.
A suspect, 27-year-old Mohamed Konate, was apprehended in New York City on Wednesday. Investigators stated that Konate allegedly “attempted to commit armed robbery” against Lil Tjay, Boyd and a third person, Jeffrey Valdez, according to a press release.
Lil Tjay was taken to a local hospital and underwent emergency surgery for his gunshot wounds, Variety reported. The other victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Konate, 27, is charged with three counts of attempted murder, three counts of armed robbery, and other weapons charges. Boyd and Valdez were also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Konate is awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
Lil Tjay is best known for his 2020 mixtape, the State of Emergency, showcasing several New York drill artists like Fivio Foreign and the late Pop Smoke. As one of the first string of Soundcloud rappers in 2016, he signed with Columbia Records in 2018 following the success of his single, “Resume.”
His latest project is his 2021 sophomore album, “Destined 2 Win.” The album included a collaboration with 6lack, “Calling My Phone,” which is the highest-charting song in his career so far.
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