Rapper Troy Ave was arrested by NYPD less than 24 hours after 1 man was killed and 3 wounded in a shooting at a rap concert headlined by T.I. in NYC on Wednesday.
Police say the 30-year-old Crown Heights resident accidentally shot himself in the leg while firing wildly at rapper Maino backstage at Irving Plaza in Union Square.
Troy Ave, whose real name is Roland Collins, was driven to NYU Langone Medical Center in an SUV, where he was arrested early Thursday.
He was charged with attempted murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Police are awaiting ballistics tests before charging Collins with murder.
Collins, who was scheduled to perform, had beef with Maino, who had just left the stage after performing his set.
Surveillance video inside the VIP backstage area shows Collins firing 5 or 6 shots in quick succession as VIP guests scramble over each other as they fled.
“There is clear video, very graphic video. He walks right out, women all around, and starts shooting his gun,” a source told the News.
“It’s an ongoing rap group rivalry, him and Maino.”
Ronald McPhatter, 33, died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Police say McPahatter, also known as B$B Banga, was a close associate of Collins.
Among the injured were Maggie Heckstall, 26, who was shot in the leg, and Christopher Vinson, 34, who was shot in the chest. Both victims were transported to Bellevue Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.
Rapper T.I. was not in the green room when the shooting occurred.
Earlier Thursday — before she realized he was the gunman — McPhatter’s mother slammed Collins for not calling to offer his condolences.
Rose McPhatter said her son looked out for Collins and kept him out of trouble.
“He actually cared a lot about Troy Ave. My wish is that Troy Ave cared as much about my son as he cared about him. I say that because I watched how my son would always bend over backwards to help him,” Rose said.
“If he (Troy Ave) cared about my son as much as he alleged he does, I would’ve received a call from him. He didn’t call me. He didn’t call any of my other sons.
During a radio interview on WCBS 880 Thursday, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton called rappers “basically thugs.”
“The crazy world of the so-called rap artists who are basically thugs that basically celebrate the violence they live all their lives,” Bratton said. “Unfortunately, that violence often manifests itself during the performances and that’s exactly what happened last evening.”
