Rapper Lil Tjay was arrested on Monday night in connection with rapper Offset's shooting in Florida.
The Seminole Police Department said Lil Tjay, whose real name is Tione Jayden Merritt, was arrested and "charged in connection with the incident that took place Monday night at a valet area outside of Seminole Hard Rock" in Hollywood, Florida.
Offset, whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus, was shot in the valet area outside the hotel and casino around 7 p.m. that evening. The rapper, who shares three children with superstar Cardi B, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Lil Tjay was booked into the Broward County Jail on a disorderly conduct charge, according to online arrest records. The 24-year-old is being held on a $500 bond as of Tuesday morning.
A lawyer for Lil Tjay, Dawn M. Florio, denied that her client was involved in Offset’s shooting, calling the accusation "rumors."
"Lil Tjay has not been shot, nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting. Any reporting to the contrary is false," she wrote in a Monday statement on Instagram. "We encourage people to consult trusted news sources, and to verify the accuracy of any reporting, before reflexively sharing or repeating baseless rumors."
Gary Bitney, a spokesperson for the Seminole Police Department, said the incident began as a fight and that a second person detained at the scene has not been charged.
Bitney added that an "investigation to identify one or more additional persons involved in the incident is ongoing."
TMZ was first to report Tjay's arrest and alleged connection with the shooting.
Lil Tjay is best known for his rap hits "F.N." and “Calling My Phone." The rapper is releasing music independently after leaving Columbia Records in 2024.
Offset rose to fame as a member of Migos. Another member of the hit group, Takeoff, was killed by gunshot wounds to the head in 2022.
