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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Sami Quadri

Rapper Tory Lanez found guilty over shooting of hip hop star Megan Thee Stallion

Tory Lanez (left) and Megan Thee Stallion (right)

(Picture: AP)

Rapper Tory Lanez has been found guilty of three firearms offences over the shooting of hip hop star Megan Thee Stallion.

Megan had accused Lanez, 30, of firing five gunshots at her feet after a row broke out between the pair after leaving a party in the same car.

She also claimed he yelled at her to “dance” and wounded her during the attack in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020.

Canadian hip hop star Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, was convicted on Friday of assault with a semi-automatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

The conviction could see him jailed for more than 20 years.

Lanez, who showed no reaction as the verdict was read out, is due to be sentenced on January 27.

It is not known whether he plans to appeal the conviction.

Speaking after the conviction, Megan’s lawyers told reporters that “the jury got it right. I am thankful there is justice for Meg.”

During the trial, Megan claimed that Lanez became enraged after she disparaged his musical talent.

She said she had demanded to be let out of a luxury car before he fired five rounds at her.

She also testified that he had offered her $1m (£830,000) to keep quiet about the attack. She initially told police she had cut her feet on glass.

Several bullet fragments were removed from Megan’s feet after the shooting, but some remain.

Megan is a global rap superstar who first attracted attention by sharing freestyle videos on social media while living in her native Houston, Texas. She signed a record deal in 2018 and a year later her mixtape Fever made the US top ten.

She followed it with the EP Suga in 2020. It included the smash hit Savage, which achieved viral fame with a TikTok dance and a remix featuring Beyoncé. In August that year Megan featured on the song WAP with the rapper Cardi B.

The track went viral thanks in part to its X-rated lyrics and topped the singles charts in both the UK and US.

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