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Everything We Know Nigh the Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez Shooting Investigation

Photo-Illustration: Vulture and Getty Images

On August 20, 2020, Megan Thee Stallion claimed that Tory Lanez was the gunman who shot her in the human foot following a July 12 2020, puddle party at Kylie Jenner'southward house — the first time she publicly identified him, or anyone, as her shooter. In an Instagram Alive video, Megan alleged that Lanez's publicist was intentionally attempting to spread fake information near the shooting, for which she was hospitalized and underwent surgery. "Yes, this n- - - - Tory shot me," Megan said in the video.

While Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, was arrested on a charge of conveying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, he was not arrested for allegedly shooting Megan, real proper noun Megan Pete. (Lanez was released on $35,000 bail.) The Los Angeles Police Department reportedly had difficulties in finding witnesses who would help in their investigation. Some early on reports even said that Megan'south injuries resulted from cleaved glass, non a gunshot.

In her video, Megan admitted that she didn't tell cops what happened, explaining she thought the LAPD was "ambitious" — while recognizing she should have been upwards front immediately.

"I didn't get cutting by no glass, but let me tell yous why they're maxim that," Megan said. "When the law came because the neighbors chosen the police force … the police come up — I'k scared. All this shit going on with the police … I didn't want to dice. I didn't want the police to shoot me cause there's a northward- - - - with a gun in the car with me."

On Oct 8, 2020, in that location was a major development in the investigation: The Los Angeles District Attorney'southward Function announced felony assail and gun charges against Lanez.

Lanez's well-nigh recent court appearance was on April v, 2022 — and things quickly escalated. Lanez was handcuffed and detained for allegedly violating terms of his pretrial release, co-ordinate to reports. Hither's what we know about where the shooting case stands so far.

According to an Instagram Alive, Megan claimed that she was in Lanez'southward car on July 12 2020, with him, his bodyguard, and her friend, and that the four were arguing. Megan, who was in the forepart seat, left the car. She alleged that Lanez shot her through the machine's back window. Megan insisted that rumors she had hit Lanez were bogus. She likewise said that the shooting didn't chronicle to Lanez's purported romantic involvement in Kylie Jenner. Co-ordinate to TMZ, Megan originally told cops that she had cutting her foot on drinking glass.

While L.A. prosecutors didn't give many details in their press release announcing charges against Lanez, their argument on the example appeared to mirror Megan's claims.

"The defendant and the 24-twelvemonth-old victim got into an argument while riding in an SUV in the Hollywood Hills," the prosecutors' statement said. "The victim exited the vehicle and Peterson is defendant of shooting several times at her feet and wounding her."

The criminal complaint identified the person Lanez allegedly "inflicted great bodily injury upon" as "MEGAN P." The complaint said Megan P. was "not an cohort to the in a higher place criminal offense."

LAPD detective Ryan Stogner testified in court on Tuesday, December xiv, 2021, confirming details from Megan's account of the event to the constabulary. Per TMZ, the detective was told that Lanez shouted "Trip the light fantastic, bitch, dance" every bit he fired the gunshots at Megan'southward feet, injuring her so that she "barbarous to the footing and then crawled" to safety. Megan told the detective that a drunk Lanez tried to bribe her "to continue her mouth shut considering he was on probation." Stogner also testified that she lied nigh the shooting at first, saying she stepped on glass, because she was afraid of police violently escalating the situation if they were called on Lanez, a Black human with a gun in his car. During the hearing, the judge was besides played a phone call from Lanez in jail to the adult female who was at that place during the incident, apologizing for something he did while drunk. "How y'all gonna tell me what I apologized for?" Lanez reportedly yelled in court.

In belatedly August 2020, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said that the part had "asked constabulary enforcement for further investigation earlier making a filing decision on a charge of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm, personal use of a firearm." Notwithstanding, prosecutors asked law enforcement to do this on July 24, 2020 — so their asking had nothing to do with her public statement. It's unclear whether 1000000's public statement ultimately played a role in prosecutors' decision to bring felony charges. Vulture reached out to the Fifty.A. Commune Attorney's Part for more information on this, simply has not yet heard back.

It still appears to be unclear why Lanez allegedly shot Megan. Megan claimed in the video, notwithstanding, that Lanez did it for "no reason."

Information technology sure seems that way. When Lanez was arrested, it was on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle — not for allegedly shooting Megan. Now, Lanez is charged with i felony count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm — personal use of a firearm — equally well as carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. Prosecutors said that he "personally inflicted great actual injury." If Lanez is convicted as charged, he could become up to 22 years and eight months in country prison. So, Lanez's legal problems are more than serious than before, but the ultimate consequences won't be known until everything plays out in court. On Nov eighteen, 2020, Lanez pleaded not guilty to three charges brought against him by the Los Angeles DA'southward office. Things oasis't exactly gone smoothly for Lanez since and so. During a courtroom appearance on April five, 2022, Lanez was cuffed and taken into custody for allegedly violating pretrial orders. Gauge David Herriford upped Lanez's bond to $350,000 for these violations.

Prosecutors previously declined to comment on that. More often than not speaking, notwithstanding, government don't go after accusers and victims for irresolute what they said. People who experience trauma might change their stories after they've thought about an incident and had the time to process what happened. Robert Shapiro, who was on O.J. Simpson's defense team, notes at that place are many reasons someone might non provide accurate information right away.

"It's very similar to many of the women who have been victimized, who initially don't say anything so years subsequently change their heed for certain reasons," Shapiro told Vulture (he is non involved with the Lanez instance and was speaking generally). "It's perhaps out of fear of retribution, and maybe [subsequently] they have been given some type of comfort that they can be safe."

In her November 16, 2020, GQ "Rapper of the Year" profile, Megan Thee Stallion claimed Lanez tried to offering her and her friend money in commutation for their silence before police force arrived to the scene on July 12. "Police are simply killing everybody for no reason, and I'm thinking, 'I can't believe you even call up I desire to take some coin," she said. "Like, you just shot me.'" Lanez's lawyer denied this claim in a argument in a argument to GQ.

Following Megan'due south Baronial twenty, 2020, alive stream, Jim Lewis, one of Lanez's lawyers, told Vulture: "We're not commenting right now." His publicist did non immediately answer to a asking for comment. Lanez remained quiet for the remainder of the summer.

And so, on September 24, 2020, he tweeted "To my fans … I'one thousand sorry for my silence …. but respectfully .. I got fourth dimension today." Fans assumed he was heading on Instagram Live to finally tell his side of the story, merely at midnight, DAYSTAR, a surprise anthology, dropped online. "At that place is a time to stay silent," he tweeted. "And a time to speak ….. I said all I could say on this." On rails "Money Over Fallouts," he says, "Megan people tryna frame me for a shootin'," denying her claims. Later, he questions her injury and insinuates that Megan'due south team has tried to pay for his silence. "Gotta run into a couple questions: how the f**k y'all get shot in your foot, don't hit no bones or tendons?" he raps. "How the f**grand your squad is tryna to pay me in some whole millions?" He denies involvement a second time, just doesn't offering another suspect. "Daughter, you had the nervus to write that statement on a affirmation / Knowing I ain't do it but I'm coming at my truest," he says at 1 signal. "Tryna proceed this shit two hunnid with yous, shorty, I can't prove it / But them people in yo' ear, they the truthful ones that I fear."

Lanez too mentions singers Kehlani and Jojo on the anthology. Both women removed his features from their songs for the palatial versions of their corresponding albums following Megan's Instagram Live. "Cause when I'm scrollin' through this Spotify playlist / Come across me my name both in y'all top five pages / Information technology simply feels a little unsincere, hmm?" he says in "Improvement."

After receiving backlash for dropping an anthology denying violence against a Black woman every bit the Black community was reeling from the grand jury decision fabricated in the Breonna Taylor example on September 23, 2020, Lanez said he chose to drop the anthology on September 25, 2020, because information technology was his mother's birthday and the day she died.

After the felony charges against Lanez were announced, Lewis told Vulture: "The 'victim' doesn't appear to be seriously injured, since I saw her on Sat Night Live last calendar week."

A source close to the situation declared to Billboard on September 29, 2020, that Lanez'southward team sent several emails to media outlets pretending to be members of Megan Thee Stallion's record label, 300 Entertainment, in order to "campaign press" on his behalf. The source too claims that his team fabricated text bulletin conversations between Lanez and Megan and sent them to various outlets. A screenshot obtained by Billboard from a 2d anonymous source included a imitation email account for Kevin Leong, 300's Head of Artistic. The email contained a link to an article that claimed Megan Thee Stallion did not want to testify against Lanez.

In a statement to Billboard, 300 Entertainment said, "In this day and age, digital security is of utmost importance. The email impersonation of our head of creative Kevin Leong, with the intent to disseminate false data has been brought to our attention and we are working diligently on Megan's behalf to get to the bottom of the thing." A representative for Lanez "strongly denies" that he sent fake emails or doctored text messages. "The only commentary which has been made on this topic was the artistic output on the album," the rep told Billboard. "Nosotros are investigating who could be sending these false emails and intend to take action against them."

Bated from wearing rings that spell out "Fuck you," Megan Thee Stallion did not initially respond the assertions made in DAYSTAR nor the alleged "entrada." In a argument to Vulture shortly thereafter, her lawyer, Alex Spiro said, "We have been fabricated aware of manipulated text messages and invented email accounts that have been disseminated to the media in a calculated attempt to peddle a false narrative about the events that occurred on July the twelfth. A smear campaign can't change the truth."

During her October 3, 2020 musical performance on SNL, Megan advocated for the protection of Black women. The interlude was punctuated by gunshots, and over a portion of a Malcolm 10 speech communication, Megan referred to her own shooting and Kentucky Chaser General Daniel Cameron's handling of the Breonna Taylor example. "We need to protect our Blackness women and love our Black women, 'cause at the end of the twenty-four hour period, nosotros need our Blackness women," Megan said, noting her tweets almost the targeted harassment and bullying she endured after being shot. "We need to protect our Blackness men and stand up for our Blackness men, 'cause at the finish of the 24-hour interval, we're tired of seeing hashtags about Black men."

Megan commented extensively in relation to the February 23, 2022, proceeding because of sketchy information that emerged moments before the hearing started. In a now-deleted tweet, DJ Akademiks wrote that it "was revealed in court few moments agone that Tory Lanez DNA WAS NOT found on the weapon in the Million Thee Stallion case."

Megan responded on Instagram, writing: "Y'all got breaking news xv minutes before court started and nobody has fifty-fifty been chosen in yet??"

"Y'all tryna win a social media campaign this is MY REAL LIFE! Y'all tryna get retweets SPREADING FALSE NARRATIVES!" she too wrote, according to Complex.

LilJuMadeDaBeat, a producer who has worked with Megan, also appeared to weigh in, saying on Twitter: "Social media has made y'all dumb af."

Lanez also commented on Twitter, maxim: "….. u can't buy and tweet your way out of this ane ..non today." In a now-deleted post, Megan revealed text messages which she claimed Lanez sent her apologizing for the shooting. Lanez later seemed to claim that his apology actually referred to a romantic dispute.

Court proceedings revealed that Akademiks's comments most DNA weren't true. Lanez's lawyer said that they were retaining an practiced and thought that their analysis would exist "favorable" for him. Nobody said that the gun didn't accept Lanez'southward Deoxyribonucleic acid on information technology. Regardless, he asked for an apology from Megan.

Asked for comment, Spiro said in a argument: "This is nothing more than than the dishonest machinations of a desperate man." Akademiks did non reply to Instagram messages seeking annotate.

Lanez, who is from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, has not been deported. "That's bullshit," Lewis previously said of rumors. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson previously told Vulture that Lanez is not in the agency'due south custody. "We take no pale in this thing at this point," the spokesperson said. "ICE has non been involved in this at all." Vulture reached out to immigration authorities on Friday to see if there was any new information but did not immediately hear dorsum.

Lanez entered a non guilty plea through his attorney on November 18, 2020 to charges relating to the shooting, according to the Associated Printing. The court had previously issued a protective order directing Lanez to stay at to the lowest degree 100 yards away from Megan and prohibiting contact with her. Lanez'south bail was set at $190,000.

Lanez alluded to the charges on Twitter October 2020, posting an emoji message claiming "time will tell." Tweeted the rapper, "a charge is not a conviction. If you lot accept supported me or meg thru this, I genuinely appreciate u."

If Lanez is convicted as charged, he could get up to 22 years and eight months in state prison house.

Recent developments indicate that the case is moving forward. During the preliminary hearing on Dec 14, 2021, prosecutors called a police officer and a detective to bear witness almost evidence they had gathered during the investigation. Chaser for Lanez, Shawn Holley, asked for the case to be thrown out due to "insufficient evidence." The judge denied Holley's asking.

Early July 28, 2021, TMZ reported that Lanez'southward appearance with DaBaby at Rolling Loud this weekend had raised eyebrows well-nigh possible legal implications for the Canadian rapper. Lanez is required to stay at least 100 yards from Megan and is prohibited from making contact with her; TMZ reported that she was actually backstage when he performed with DaBaby, who took the phase afterward the "Thot Shit" rapper. TMZ said that Miami police and Los Angeles prosecutors were apprised of Lanez maybe violating the protective guild. A source confirmed to Vulture that someone did tell Miami and L.A. officials about the potential protective-order violation, though the source did non identify that person. TMZ reported that, according to a source, Lanez did not see Megan at Rolling Loud, nor did he get close to her. Asked for comment, Holley said in an email to Vulture: "Though they both performed at the aforementioned music festival, Mr. Peterson went out of his mode to ensure that he would not cross paths with Ms. Peete or otherwise violate the terms of the protective social club."

On Fri, August 13, 2021, TMZ reported that "prosecutors accept filed a motion to concord Lanez in contempt for violating the restraining order" that stated he could not go within 100 yards of Megan Thee Stallion. Prosecutors believe that Lanez's performance at Rolling Loud put him within that altitude of her, and they are now asking the gauge to revoke or increase Lanez's bond.

On Monday, August 23, 2021, a judge ruled that Lanez'southward bail be increased afterwards prosecutors say he violated the restraining society Megan Thee Stallion filed against him by appearing at Rolling Loud. Lanez's bond has increased from $190,000 to $250,000. Per TMZ, Lanez will non serve whatever jail time, only "the judge modified his bond conditions to specifically prohibit Tory from attending events where his declared victim, Megan, will be present." The guess likewise reportedly said that if Lanez violates the protective order again, he will be "remanded into custody."

In September 2021, Los Angeles deputy district attorney Kathy Ta told a gauge that the function and Lanez's side were in "meaningful discussions" to brand a plea deal. Ta told Rolling Stone: "Nosotros're in possible settlement discussions."

Whatsoever discussions were had apparently did not lead to a plea bargain. Lanez's chaser, Shawn Holley, told a Los Angeles judge on Nov iii that his not-guilty plea "stands," Rolling Stone reported. "Equally in every case, the lawyers for the parties talk over the possibility of resolving the case. This example is no unlike," Holley told the magazine in a statement. "That said, our position as to what did and did not happen in this affair remains unchanged." Lanez has appeared in court several times after that Nov three proceeding. Vulture asked the Los Angeles district attorney's office about Ta's previous statements. A spokesman said in an email that Ta'south comments "referenced at that place being plea or settlement discussions generally, but nothing across that." Asked whether there were plea talks now, or whether Lanez had been offered a plea deal, a spokesman said the office declines to comment. Lanez's lawyers did non respond to emails seeking comment following the February 23 developments.

According to Rolling Stone, Lanez was "handcuffed and remanded into custody" while in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Judge David Herriford determined that Lanez violated pretrial orders that prohibited him from harassing or contacting Megan. Herriford also determined that Lanez violated a pretrial club that barred him from sharing case evidence in the case with outside parties. Herriford increased Lanez's bail to $350,000.

Earlier Lanez was taken into custody, prosecutors and his lawyer argued for almost an hour over whether he violated the protective society. Holley insisted that Lanez did not provide DJ Akademiks with any evidence in the instance prior to Akademiks' tweet about Dna, per Rolling Stone.

Holley said in court that Deoxyribonucleic acid analysis of the gun revealed four contributors, meaning it was "inconclusive" whether Lanez's Deoxyribonucleic acid was on the gun. Testing also revealed that Lanez's Dna was not on the gun magazine, Holley reportedly said.

"The DA requested that Mr. Peterson's bond be revoked or, in the alternative, that information technology exist increased to $5 one thousand thousand," Holley said. "We are pleased that the Court rejected those outrageous requests."

Rolling Rock's Nancy Dillon said on Twitter that Lanez was poised to be released. "Bail bondsman just left later posting the new $350,000 amount, an increment from $250,000. Lanez should be released soon. His father still waiting exterior courtroom. This all happens in courthouse."

This post has been updated throughout.

Everything We Know About the Tory Lanez, Meg Shooting Case