Rapper A$AP Rocky has been declared not guilty of allegedly shooting at a former friend.

0

A Los Angeles jury acquitted the musician, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, of two serious assault charges that could have landed him in prison for up to 24 years.

1

Terell Ephron claimed that during an argument on a Hollywood street on November 6, 2021, the Grammy-nominated artist fired a gun at him, with one bullet reportedly grazing his knuckles.

2

Mayers, a well-known fashion entrepreneur and Rihanna’s longtime partner, denied the accusations, insisting that the gun in question was just a prop and that Ephron, who goes by A$AP Relli, was only trying to get money from him.

3

As soon as the first "not guilty" verdict was read in court on Tuesday, cheers and applause erupted. Mayers quickly turned to his family and Rihanna, who were sitting behind him, leaping over a wooden barrier to hug them.

4

Rihanna had been present throughout the trial and, for the final verdict, brought their two young sons, RZA and Riot.

5

Tearing up, Mayers embraced his lawyers when the second verdict was announced.

6

"Thank God for saving my life," he said out loud, also expressing gratitude to the jury.

7

Mayers was initially arrested after a heated argument with Ephron in the heart of Hollywood.

8

The two had been close since high school in New York and were part of the A$AP Mob collective before their friendship soured as Mayers' career skyrocketed.

9

Investigators say Ephron met Mayers outside a Hollywood hotel the day after they had a disagreement.

10

Their argument escalated, and Mayers allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband, pointing it at Ephron while saying, "I'll kill you right now."

11

"He looked me in my eyes and pointed the gun at me," Ephron testified in court.

12

Ephron claimed he challenged Mayers to shoot, but instead, the rapper walked away. However, when Ephron continued yelling and following him, Mayers allegedly fired several shots, with one bullet grazing Ephron's hand.

13

The trial largely focused on whether the firearm was a real weapon or just a movie prop, as Mayers' defense team argued.

14

Police never recovered the gun, and while some of the altercation was caught on surveillance footage—complete with audio of gunfire—there was no clear video showing the actual shooting.

15

Ephron waited two days before reporting the incident and even brought shell casings he claimed to have found at the scene.

16

However, when police initially responded to reports of gunfire, they found no shell casings. Ephron, who said he returned with his girlfriend hours later, claimed he knew exactly where to look, but security footage didn’t confirm his story.

17

Instead of seeking treatment in Los Angeles, Ephron flew back to New York before seeing a doctor.

18

Mayers' defense team suggested Ephron may have planted the shell casings to frame the rapper.

19

The trial was filled with tense moments, especially when Ephron, the prosecution’s key witness, took the stand.

20

At one point, Ephron snapped at Mayers' lawyer, calling him "annoying," prompting a warning from the judge.

21

A$AP Twelvyy, another witness, was questioned about a photograph showing Mayers' bed with the letters "AWGE" on the frame.

22

When asked what it meant, Mayers interrupted the court and shouted, "Don't say!" Twelvyy refused to explain.

23

Defendants rarely speak out during trials, especially in front of a jury, making Mayers’ outburst particularly unusual.

24

Now cleared of the charges, the rapper is gearing up to release his first solo album in nearly a decade and is set to co-headline the Rolling Loud festival in Los Angeles in March 2025.

25

He will also star alongside Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest, set for release in the coming months.

26