Video shows gunman at Irving Plaza rap concert; rapper Troy Ave arrested
UNION SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) -- Rapper Troy Ave has been arrested after four people -- including himself -- were shot in a third-floor green room at Irving Plaza Wednesday night, before a T.I. performance.
Troy Ave, 30, whose real name is Roland Collins, was also injured in the shooting. NYPD officials released new very clear video late Thursday they said shows Troy Ave firing at least one shot inside the venue.
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He is being charged with attempted murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Police tell Eyewitness News he could face additional charges, depending on the results of ballistics tests.
Police aren't sure if there was more than one shooter in the ordeal, but they suspect Troy Ave shot multiple people. The ballistics evidence will determine that, as well. The NYPD released the video because they are trying to identify the people in the video who were in the room when the shooting happened.
The NYPD said Troy Ave shot himself in the leg during a struggle at the club. After the shooting, they said he left and was driven to NYU Hospital. He was then transferred to Bellevue, where he was arrested.
In the surveillance video above, detectives believe the rapper had already shot himself, as a leg wound is visible in the video and he may be slightly limping as he's walking.
One man died from his injuries in the shooting.
DETAILS ABOUT SHOOTING
At 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, the rapper T.I. was about to take the stage at the ballroom-style music venue when the shooting began in the green room, which is upstairs. Rappers Maino and Uncle Murda were performing, and officials said Thursday that the incident began as a fistfight, then after a few minutes turned into a gunfight.
The gunman and the victims were all credentialed guests with access to the VIP/green room area. There does not appear to have been any screening at the VIP area, which was filled with performers, their entourages and guests. According to police, most of the people involved are from Brooklyn and have prior records.
There were about 950 people in the concert building at 17 Irving Place during the shooting.
THE VICTIMS
Police initially said Troy Ave was the first person shot.
Ronald McPhatter, 33, was shot in the stomach and pronounced dead at Beth Israel Hospital.
His mother, Rose, told Eyewitness News that her son took a bullet to save a friend.
"Right now I probably am trying to figure out what happened and why. You know, I want answers," she said.
She said Edgar and Troy Ave were longtime friends.
"My son jumped in to assist Troy," she said. "He was very protective. He was very protective of his family."
One man, who was not involved in the fight, was shot downstairs by a bullet that went through the floor. He was hit in the abdomen, and is likely to recover, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce.
A 26-year-old woman also was shot in the leg while in the green room and was taken to Bellevue in stable condition.
THE INVESTIGATION
The shooting is not believed to be connected to rapper TI, who left the green room before the shots were fired. But an appearance scheduled for later in the night at another club, 1 Oak, was canceled and police closed the club for a period.
There were metal detectors for concert-goers at Irving Plaza.
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Detectives know who was in the green room and were working to interview everyone there at the time of the shooting.
Five 9 mm casings were recovered from the scene, Boyce said. were recovered from the green room area, indicating a 9 mm handgun was used.
Rapper T.I. posted a message on social media late Thursday:
