The fallout from the last Wednesday’s shooting incident at NYC’s Irving Plaza continued throughout Memorial Day Weekend as rapper Troy Ave was taken from NYU Langone Medical Center, where he was arrested while being treated for a gunshot wound to the leg, and transported to a New York City courtroom on Monday (May 30). Troy Ave, real name Roland Collins, was in visible pain as police removed him from a van to a wheelchair, wheeling him to face the judge where pled not guilty to charges ranging from attempted murder, reckless endangerment and illegal possession of a weapon.
Less than 24 hours after the incident occurred, surveillance footage from inside venue showed someone who appears to be Troy Ave stumbling out of a VIP room with blood on his leg and firing a shot from a handgun.
Assistant District Attorney Christine Keenan was very vehement in her remarks, stating:
“This defendant is on video coming out of the VIP room where the individuals were shot. He had the gun in his hand and was seen firing that gun in the direction of fleeing patrons.”
Keenan also stated that Troy Ave’s charges could be upgraded to murder following ballistics tests, in connection to death of Ronald McPhatter aka Banga, who was fatally shot inside of the VIP room.
Scott Leemon, Troy Ave’s lawyer, says otherwise. Lemon says that his client is the real victim in the scenario and McPhatter was a lifelong friend of Troy Ave, who was also his personal bodyguard and died while attempting to protect his comrade.
Scott Leemon:
“What really happened here is Mr. Collins here is the real victim. The person who was killed at this event, he died a hero. He was his bodyguard. He wasn’t shot by Mr. Collins. He was a lifelong friend. This 11 seconds of video that the NYPD released, it doesn’t say what happened before, it doesn’t say what happened after. The scientific evidence will show he didn’t shoot himself.”
Troy Ave was denied bail at court appearance.
Via: NYDN
