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American rapper Lil Tjay was arrested on June 6, 2023, while he was on Instagram Live. The news was confirmed by his attorney Dawn Florio, who explained that he was filming a music video in the Bronx, New York, at the time of the incident. She also clarified the charges against the rapper:
"My client was not arrested for firing a loaded firearm or possessing a loaded firearm. The arrest charge was reckless endangerment."
According to Rochelle Berliner, a law firm based in New York, the term reckless endangerment refers to a person who recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.
It is to be noted that it is not a crime if the reckless conduct only leads to a "grave risk of death." For it to be a criminal offense, the evidence must indicate that the person acted in a manner that suggests "a depraved indifference to human life."
What happened to Lil Tjay as consequences of facing a reckless endangerment charge explained
On Tuesday afternoon, the musician's IG live video offered a front-row seat to him getting handcuffed and taken away in the middle of a traffic stop in the Bronx. In the video, Lil Tjay can be seen being defiant, questioning the reason for his arrest in the clip. He states:
"No, bro. Hell no. What's in the car? I don't know what's in the car. Don't touch me. There's no firearm in the car."
The video suggests that at one point someone in the crowd told the Destined 2 Win singer to stop fighting to de-escalate, as multiple officers grabbed Lil Tjay to handcuff him.
According to Law Offices of Robert Tsigler, PLLC, if charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree, it is considered a misdemeanor and could carry a sentence of up to one year in jail in addition to possible fines and restitution. However, if charged with reckless endangerment in the first degree, it is considered a felony and the defendant faces up to seven years in prison.
Who is Lil Tjay? Rapper arrested for the fourth time this year
Tione Kenyon Jayden Merritt a.k.a. is a rapper and songwriter hailing from New York City. He began his career in 2017, when he started releasing his music on SoundCloud, gaining fame for his song, Resume. In 2018, he released his breakthrough single Brother, which landed him a deal with Columbia Records.
The rapper released his debut album, True 2 Myself on October 11, 2019, which debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200. Lil Tjay is best known for the hit singles, Calling My Phone, and In My Head.
Last year the musician was shot multiple times in an attempted robbery. On January 16, 2023, he was arrested along with fellow Bronx rapper Ice Spice for alleged possession of a firearm. Two weeks later Lil Tjay was arrested again for missing a court hearing for the same.
This May he was arrested for the third time on weapon possession charges in relation to his shooting last June.
No other statements were made about his recent arrest.
