Rapper Offset hospitalized after being shot in Florida
By Diego Mendoza, Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — The rapper Offset was hospitalized after being shot Monday evening near a casino in Florida, according to his representative, who said he is in stable condition.
Offset, whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus, was formerly married to Cardi B, with whom he has three children, and was a member of the chart-topping rap trio Migos, which lost a fellow member with the fatal shooting of rapper Takeoff in 2022.
The Seminole Police Department did not identify the person who was shot, but said they had been transported to Memorial Regional Hospital and their injuries were not life-threatening.
The shooting happened at a valet area outside of the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, after 7 p.m. Monday, police said in a statement, adding that the incident started with a fight.
“The site is secure and there is no threat to the public,” police said. “Operations continue as normal.”
According to a statement from police, Tione Jayden Merritt was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in connection with the shooting.
“Merritt was booked into the Broward County Jail late last night,” the statement read. “The investigation to identify one or more additional persons involved in the incident is ongoing.”
New York attorney Dawn M. Florio posted a statement on social media Tuesday denying “false rumors” that Lil Tjay was involved in the shooting.
“Lil Tjay has not been shot, nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting,” the statement read. “Any reporting to the contrary is false. We encourage people to consult trusted news sources, and to verify the accuracy of any reporting, before reflexively sharing or repeating baseless rumors.”
In an interview with CNN, Florio said she spoke briefly with her client and that he denies shooting Offset — though police have not charged him with that.
The Atlanta-based trio Migos — consisting of rappers Offset, Quavo and Takeoff — rose to prominence with the 2013 hit “Versace” and later earned Grammy nominations for best rap album with 2018’s “Culture,” while a track off it nabbed a nod for best rap performance.
The group disbanded after Takeoff was shot and killed in November 2022 following an argument that broke out during a private party at a bowling alley in Houston, police said at the time.
The following year, Quavo, who was Takeoff’s uncle, turned to gun violence prevention, joining forces with the Community Justice Action Fund to meet with lawmakers in Washington, DC and in 2024 co-hosting a summit on the issue with then US Vice President Kamala Harris.
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CNN’s Sarah Dewberry, Chenelle Woody and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
