Good news for Maino. The rapper has been cleared by the New York Police Department in its investigation of the Irving Plaza shooting that happened late last month.
On May 25, gunshots rang out at the Manhattan venue where T.I. was scheduled to perform. Three people were injured, including both Maino’s girlfriend and fellow rapper Troy Ave. Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, Troy Ave’s bodyguard, was fatally shot.
Early reports speculated that Troy Ave’s entourage was engaged in a scuffle with Maino and Uncle Murda’s camps, however, Maino issued a statement denying those claims.
Chief of Detectives Robert K. Boyce has now confirmed Maino’s disinvolvement telling reporters at June 2 press conference, “There’s a rapper named Maino. We don’t believe he was involved in the dispute. It was his girlfriend that was shot. At that point, everybody went back to the hospital, uniformed to ensure there would not be a fight or argument at the hospital. That’s why she was guarded at the time.”
Troy Ave was arrested and charged with attempted murder, but his court appearance was delayed as he recovered in a hospital under police surveillance. He has since plead not guilty.