Rapper Troy Ave Indicted

Troy Ave

On Thursday, rapper Troy Ave (real name Roland Collins) was indicted on charges related to the fatal shooting of his friend and bodyguard (Ronald McPhatter) at a T.I. concert near Union Square last month, according to the New York Post. Troy Ave was was arrested on attempted murder and weapons possession raps. The site reports,

Defense lawyers for the rapper said that their client was establishing a $10,000 sports scholarship at New Utrecht High School in honor of his best friend, Ronald McPhatter, 30, who was killed during the shootout.

Collins and McPhatter both attended the Brooklyn school where McPhatter excelled as an athlete, according to defense lawyer John Stella. A check is expected to be presented Monday to the school’s coaches, the lawyer said.

Another attorney for the rapper, Scott Leemon, urged anyone with information about the crime to email [email protected].

“We know people don’t want to cooperate with police, so we’re asking them to cooperate with us,” the lawyer said. “He (Collins) didn’t shoot McPhatter, he didn’t shoot himself. They are both victims.”

As previously reported, Troy Ave was shot in the leg during the deadly May 25 shooting inside the VIP area of Irving Plaza. Bronx-born model Maggie Heckstall, 26, and Christopher Vinson, 34, were also wounded.

The complaint states, surveillance video shows Troy Ave leaving the VIP room and opening fire with a semiautomatic pistol in the direction of a crowd.

Video has surfaced of Troy Ave shooting his gun in Irving Plaza!!!!

A video posted by Our Generation Music (@ourgenerationmusicco) on May 26, 2016 at 2:44pm PDT

Sources tell the site that three guns were found stashed inside the car that Troy Ave took to the hospital — including the weapon used to kill McPhatter. Troy Ave is due back in court June 22. He is being held without bail. [New York Post]

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