Rapper ‘Lil TJay’ shot multiple times during New Jersey armed robbery
On Wednesday, Bergen County, New Jersey, Prosecutor Mark Musella announced that three men had been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting of 21-year-old rapper Tione “Lil TJay” Merritt. One of the men, Mohamed Konate, tried robbing the rapper at gunpoint. The two other men charged were associates of the rapper who were each charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
Just after midnight on Wednesday, June 22, the Edgewater Police Department received multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired in the area of 14 The Promenade in Edgewater. Upon their arrival to the area, officers found Tione “Lil TJay” Merritt with multiple gunshot wounds and another man, Antoine Boyd, with a single gunshot wound.
Both Lil TJay and Boyd were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Lil Tjay required emergency surgery. His condition has improved slightly from the time of the shooting, but is still considered guarded, according to TMZ.
An investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Edgewater Police Department revealed that a man identified as Mohamed Konate attempted to rob Merritt, Jeffrey Valdez, and Antoine Boyd at gunpoint when the shooting occurred. Jeffrey Valdez and Antoine Boyd, who were with Merritt, were found to each be in possession of an unlawful weapon.
Musella announced the arrests of Mohamed Konate, 27, of 75 La Salle Street, Apt. 20A, New York, New York, on attempted murder, armed robbery and weapons charges. Also arrested were Jeffrey Valdez, 24, of 308 East 184th Street, Bronx, New York, and Antoine Boyd, 23, of 855 East 217th Street, Bronx, New York, on charges of unlawful possession of a weapon.
The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Edgewater Police Department under the direction of Chief Donald Martin.
On June 22, Konate was arrested and charged with:
- three counts of first-degree attempted murder,
- three counts of first-degree armed robbery,
- second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose,
- second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon,
- second-degree certain persons not to possess a firearm, and
- fourth-degree aggravated assault.
Konate was arrested by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the New York City Police Department; and his extradition to New Jersey is pending.
On June 22, Jeffrey Valdez and Antoine Boyd were arrested and each charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. They were remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Lil Tjay rose to prominence in 2018 with his track “Resume.” The rapper has released four EPs and albums, including F.N. and True 2 Myself in 2019, State of Emergency in 2020, and Destined 2 Win in 2021.
Destined 2 Win featured the single “Calling My Phone,” Lil Tjay’s collaboration with 6lack, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his highest-charting song to date. ~ EW
For more on the shootings, see the video accompanying this article.
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
