Lil Tjay condition: Rapper wakes up, on road to recovery after being shot 

On Thursday, June 30, TMZ reported that rapper Lil Tjay (Tione Jayden Merritt) is currently recovering after being shot multiple times. As per the publication, Tjay is still in the hospital but has regained his senses.

The publication further stated that their sources close to the rapper told them that the 21-year-old is “awake and alert.” Furthermore, the Run It Up singer is “even speaking on his own.”

Tione Jayden Merritt was shot multiple times on June 23 in New Jersey. The shooting was part of an attempted robbery that left Merritt and another person injured, according to the police report.

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More about Lil Tjay's current condition

According to TMZ’s sources, Tione Jayden Merritt is not in need of a breathing tube anymore, and it has been removed as per the doctor’s advice. Unlike how Kanye’s voice was changed after his 2002 car crash, Tjay’s voice is said to sound the same as it did before the shooting.

While it was previously undisclosed, the publication further reported the areas where the rapper was shot on his body. Merritt had bullet wounds near his chest and neck area. From the location of the bullet wounds, it is clear that the shots could have easily been fatal, and it is quite miraculous that Lil Tjay is currently able to speak after just over a week of recovery.

On June 22, TMZ also reported that the rapper had to undergo life-saving surgery after being shot in New Jersey. With the bullets hitting near his neck region, it is also a miracle that the rapper’s voice did not change after the surgery. For a singer, their voice is a valuable asset because it serves as their unique personal brand identity. Thus, it is great news that Tjay’s voice was not influenced amid the massive injuries sustained by him in the shooting.

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More about the Lil Tjay shooting incident

According to the report from Bergen County Prosecutor, the incident happened on June 22, just after midnight. There had been reports of shooting at two locations in Edgewater, New Jersey, i.e., at a Chipotle, and at an Exxon gas station. From the official reports, it is clear that the victim at the Chipotle was none other than Lil Tjay who was shot multiple times. The other victim at the gas station was reportedly only shot once.

The Prosecutor’s report mentioned:

“...the Edgewater Police Department received multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the area of 14 The Promenade in Edgewater, NJ. Upon their arrival to the area, officers found 21-year-old Tione “Lil TJay” Merritt with multiple gunshot wounds and Antoine Boyd with a single gunshot wound. “

When the shooting occurred, two individuals named Jeffrey Valdez and Antoine Boyd were allegedly present with Lil Tjay. Both of them were found to be in possession of unlawful weapons for which they were arrested on the same day. The two are expected to appear in the Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, New Jersey, for their illegal weapon possession charges. At the time of the shooting, Boyd was reportedly shot once as well.

Meanwhile, the perpetrator, Mohamed Konate, was arrested on June 22. He was charged with first-degree attempted murder, three counts of first-degree armed robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree aggravated assault. While he was arrested in New York, the perpetrator is expected to be extradited to New Jersey, where he will appear at the trial for his crime.

As of now, no other information regarding Lil Tjay’s shooting or his recovery has been made public, or been confirmed by his publicist or lawyer.