Rapper Troy Ave. Charged in Fatal Shooting at T.I. Concert

27 May, 2016

The concertgoers hunkered against the balcony railing on the third floor of Irving Plaza, the concert venue in Manhattan where the rapper T.I. was headlining a show on Wednesday night. But what happened next was not what they had come to see.

Troy Ave and TI

A man staggered behind a white couch just before a door flung open and a gunman, identified by the police as the Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave, entered the room followed by two other men. He bobbed his head in search of his target, fired one round, then, after a pause, lifted it again as he walked out of the video frame. A man near the corner shielded a woman as she writhed in fear.

The dramatic scene was captured in an eight-second surveillance video clip released by the police on Thursday as they searched for what led to the shooting the night before. Ronald McPhatter, 33, was killed; three others were shot, including the suspect; and another three were injured in the resulting stampede, the police said.

Mr. McPhatter, who was also known as Edgar, was an associate of Troy Ave, 33, whose real name is Roland Collins. Mr. Collins, who was treated for a graze wound to the leg, was arrested on Thursday and charged with attempted murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

The marquee at the concert hall still carried T.I.’s moniker on Thursday, as police investigators combed the scene. Robert K. Boyce, the chief of detectives, said that inside, the vestiges of a stampede were left behind — overturned furniture, puddles of spilled drinks, and a bit of blood.

The police said a gunman opened fire in a V.I.P. green room above the stage of the club around 10 p.m. Wednesday, as T.I. was on the main floor warming up for his performance.

“What we can determine right now from the witnesses and video is that a fisticuff broke out, and then a gunfight directly thereafter,” Chief Boyce said. “It went on for about five minutes.”

In video from inside the green room posted by TMZ, a group of men appear to be trying to break up a fight when a gunshot is heard, followed by two more. A man’s voice tells everyone to get down, while a woman repeatedly yells out, “My leg.”

Some people drop to the floor while others rush out, and a fourth gunshot rings out. The camera pans across the floor, showing a man in a white shirt lying on the floor. The lights in the room go off and a fifth gunshot is heard.

One bullet struck a 34-year-old man in the chest, Chief Boyce said, and a 26-year-old woman who was in the V.I.P. area was hit in the leg. They both remained at Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, the police said.

Mr. McPhatter stumbled from the green room and collapsed by the bar, he said. The police said he was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.

Three other people were taken to hospitals to be treated for injuries they suffered trying to get away from the violence, Chief Boyce said.

T.I., on Instagram, extended his condolences to Mr. McPhatter’s family and prayers to those who were injured. The police said he was not involved in the shooting.

Jermaine Coleman, 42, a Brooklyn rapper who goes by the name Maino, had been climbing the stairs to the green room when the fight broke out, and Chief Boyce said he was not injured.

Mr. Coleman, on Instagram, denied news media reports suggesting that a continuing dispute between him and Troy Ave played a role in the shooting.

Mr. Coleman’s lawyer identified the wounded woman as Maggie Heckstall, an aspiring R&B singer.

The police were still trying to figure out how the gunman got the weapon into the theater, Chief Boyce said. Local hip-hop promoters said it was not unusual for artist entourages to evade standard security precautions.

Officials at Irving Plaza declined to discuss the shooting on Thursday, and referred questions to the police. In a statement, the venue said it reviewed its safety and security procedures before each show and coordinated them with the Police Department.

Troy Ave has had some success in recent years, releasing two independent albums, “New York City: The Album” in 2013 and “Major Without a Deal” in 2015.

Mr. McPhatter’s role with the artist was variously given as bodyguard or manager. Dozens of people left condolences across his social media accounts.

New York Times

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