Lil Tjay's Alleged Shooter Arrested In New Jersey, 27-Year-Old Is Being Held At Rikers Island

BYHayley Hynes11.9K Views
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Lil Tjay
Konate is being charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder.

The latest update in Lil Tjay's tragic shooting incident came at the end of June and revealed to fans that the "Goin Up" hitmaker was awake and talking again after sustaining near-fatal injuries just over a month ago.  Now, it's been reported that the rapper's alleged shooter – 27-year-old Mohamed Konate – has been arrested as of Friday (July 22) and is currently being held at Rikers Island.

In case you missed it, authorities are under the impression that the shooting was an attempted robbery of Lil Tjay. The 21-year-old was with two friends, Antoine Boyd (22), and Jeffrey Valdez (24) at the time, and all three of the young men were seated in a Dodge Durango near the Bronx's Promenade shopping centre.

Lil Tjay's Alleged Shooter Arrested In New Jersey, 27-Year-Old Is Being Held At Rikers Island
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The New York native reportedly resisted Konate's attempt to rob him, causing the suspect to allegedly fire shots that struck him in the thoracic cavity, whose function is to hold the rib cage, heart, lungs, esophagus, and other vital organs.

On top of the injuries sustained by Tjay, one of his friends was also shot once, and Konate was wounded as the struggle ensued.

According to investigators, an associate helped the rumoured gunman to a BMW after the shooting. He was then dropped off at Lennox Hill Hospital on Park Avenue in Manhattan's Upper East Side. It's been noted that the identity of Konate's associate will likely remain under wraps, as he's been cooperating with authorities.

For his part, Lil Tjay was airlifted to Hackensack University Medical Center to undergo emergency surgery.

Konate's charges include three counts of attempted first-degree murder, and his two associates have been hit with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.


Plenty of rappers have been sending love to Tjay amid his recovery, though Rubi Rose's message for the 21-year-old clearly stands out – read what she had to say here, and tap back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop news updates.

[Via]


About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.
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