Lil Tjay: Rapper undergoes emergency surgery after being shot in New Jersey
A suspect has been arrested following the shooting
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.American rapper Lil Tjay underwent emergency surgery after being shot during an attempted robbery at a shopping centre in New Jersey this week.
On Wednesday (22 June), police responded to a double shooting near Edgewater, where the 21-year-old rapper was shot.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has said the shooting was the result of an attempted robbery, adding that three arrests have been made.
According to the police, Lil Tjay, whose real name is Tione Jayden Merritt, was shot multiple times and one of his friends named Antoine Boyd was shot once.
TMZ reported that the rapper was admitted to a hospital for emergency surgery following the incident and appears to be doing better.
His condition has been “upgraded from critical to stable”, the Bergen County prosecutor’s office wrote in a tweet.
Further details of the “Calling My Phone” rapper’s injuries have not been revealed.
Later on Wednesday, the Bergen County prosecutor Mark Musella revealed that a 27-year-old man named Mohamed Konate had been taken into custody on suspicion of shooting Tjay.
He is now facing three counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of first-degree armed robbery, and multiple weapons-related charges.
Lil Tjay’s friends Boyd and Jeffrey Valdez were also arrested and each charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
According to Complex, both of them are being held in Bergen County Jail pending their first court appearance.