Offset Recovering After Florida Casino Shooting as Lil Tjay Faces Charges

Rapper Offset is recovering at a South Florida hospital after being shot during an altercation outside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on April 6, 2026. Law enforcement officials have confirmed that the injuries sustained by the former Migos member are non-life-threatening and that his condition remains stable.

The incident occurred around 7 p.m. On April 6 in the valet area of the casino. According to police reports, a fight broke out that led to the shooting. Offset, whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus, was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital for treatment.

Images released by TMZ on April 7 showed Offset outside the medical facility seated in a wheelchair and wearing a hospital gown. The images depicted the rapper with visible bandages and a pulse oximeter on his finger.

Lil Tjay Arrested Following Incident

Following the shooting, police arrested rapper Lil Tjay, known legally as Tione Jayden Merritt. The 24-year-old was booked into the Broward County jail in connection with the event.

Court and jail records indicate that Lil Tjay faces a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct – affray. He was released on a $500 surety bond. Merritt is facing a separate charge for operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license, with a bond set at $2,500 for that pending traffic offense.

While Lil Tjay was detained in connection with the incident, authorities have not identified him as the suspected shooter, nor have they announced any charges directly related to the shooting itself. Police also detained one other individual at the scene, though that person has not been charged.

Legal Defense and Denials

Dawn M. Florio, the attorney representing Lil Tjay, has strongly denied that the rapper was involved in the shooting. In a statement posted to Instagram on April 7, Florio addressed what she described as false rumors regarding her client’s role in the altercation.

Lil Tjay has not been shot, nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting. Any reporting to the contrary is false. We encourage people to consult trusted news sources, and to verify the accuracy of any reporting, before reflexively sharing or repeating baseless rumors.

Dawn M. Florio

The defense maintains that the charges Lil Tjay is facing are unrelated to the act of shooting Offset.

Background of the Dispute

The shooting follows a period of public tension between the two artists. The dispute reportedly began in early 2025 when Lil Tjay accused Offset of owing him $10,000 and alleged that Offset struggled with a gambling addiction.

These accusations led to heated exchanges on social media and reportedly continued through private messages between the two rappers prior to the events in Hollywood, Florida.

Law enforcement officials are continuing their investigation into the sequence of events that led to the violence. Investigators are currently reviewing surveillance footage from the casino valet area and interviewing eyewitnesses to determine the exact nature of the fight and the identity of the shooter.