The headlines were messy. For a while, if you scrolled through social media or checked TMZ, you couldn't miss the blurry photos of Rakim Mayers—better known to the world as A$AP Rocky—walking through LAX in handcuffs. It felt surreal. Here was one of the most influential figures in modern fashion and hip-hop, a man who had just started a family with Rihanna, facing a potential prison sentence. People kept asking the same thing over and over: **who did A$AP Rocky shoot?**
It wasn’t a random stranger. It wasn’t a botched robbery. According to the official charges and the subsequent civil lawsuit, the person at the center of this firestorm is Terell Ephron.
You might know him better as A$AP Relli.
The Night in Hollywood: What Actually Went Down
The date was November 6, 2021. The location was a side street in Hollywood, near Vista Del Mar and Selma Avenue. It sounds like the setup for a movie, but the reality was far grittier. According to the Los Angeles Police Department and testimony provided in court, an argument broke out between Rocky and Relli. These weren’t two strangers bumping into each other; they were former best friends and founding members of the A$AP Mob.
Relli claims the dispute was personal and professional. He alleges that Rocky lured him to that location to discuss a disagreement. Things escalated. Fast. In the heat of the moment, Relli testified that Rocky pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and fired multiple shots toward him.
He didn't miss entirely.
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Ephron alleges that bullet fragments grazed his knuckles. While the injuries weren't life-threatening, the legal implications were massive. For months, the public was in the dark. We didn't even know a shooting had occurred until April 2022, when Rocky was dramatically arrested at the airport upon returning from a vacation in Barbados.
The History of Rocky and Relli
To understand why this happened, you have to look back at the origins of the A$AP Mob in Harlem. They were brothers. Relli was there at the start, helping build the brand that would eventually make Rocky a global icon. He wasn't just a background player; he was part of the inner circle.
But fame changes things. Money changes things.
By 2021, the relationship had soured. Relli’s legal team, led by high-profile attorney Joseph Tacopina (who later represented Donald Trump), characterized the shooting as an act of "betrayal." They argued that Rocky had become arrogant and used his power to intimidate those who had been with him since day one. On the flip side, Rocky’s defense team, spearheaded by Sara L. Caplan, has consistently maintained his innocence. They’ve painted a picture of a man being targeted for his deep pockets. It’s a classic "he-said, he-said" situation, but with high-caliber ballistics and grainy surveillance footage thrown into the mix.
The Evidence: Video Footage and Forensics
The prosecution's case rests heavily on surveillance video. During the preliminary hearings in late 2023, Judge M.L. Villar watched footage that showed a group of men in an altercation. You can see a man, identified by prosecutors as Rocky, brandishing a weapon. However, the footage isn't exactly IMAX quality. It’s dark. It’s choppy.
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Wait. There's more.
During the hearing, Relli testified that Rocky pointed the gun at his stomach and said, "I'll kill you right now." That’s a heavy accusation. The defense tried to poke holes in this, questioning why Relli waited so long to report the incident and why his story seemed to shift regarding the number of shots fired.
Two 9mm shell casings were recovered from the scene. Forensic experts linked these to the general vicinity of the incident, but the defense argued there was no direct DNA or fingerprint evidence on those casings linking them specifically to Rakim Mayers.
What This Means for A$AP Rocky’s Future
Rocky is facing two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. If convicted, the "Fashion Killa" rapper could face up to 24 years in state prison. That is a staggering number for someone at the peak of their career.
Think about the stakes here. Rocky isn't just a rapper; he's a father of two. He’s the creative director for Puma’s F1 partnership. He’s a brand unto himself. A prison sentence would effectively halt one of the most successful runs in contemporary culture.
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The trial has faced several delays, a common occurrence in high-profile celebrity cases where both sides are digging for every possible advantage. As of early 2025, the legal battle continues to loom over his public appearances. Every time he steps onto a red carpet with Rihanna, the shadow of the Terell Ephron case is right there behind him.
Clearing Up the Misconceptions
There is a lot of bad info out there. No, this was not related to his 2019 arrest in Sweden. That was a completely different street brawl that involved a different set of people. Also, despite what some "blind items" on gossip blogs might suggest, there is no evidence that this shooting had anything to do with Rihanna or their relationship.
This was a "mob" internal conflict. It was Harlem history spilling out onto the streets of Los Angeles.
People also get confused about the "A$AP" moniker. Just because they both use it doesn't mean the whole group is involved. Most members of the Mob have stayed quiet, likely trying to avoid being called as witnesses or getting caught in the crossfire of a legal war that has effectively ended the brotherhood as we once knew it.
The Takeaway: Navigating High-Stakes Legal News
When a celebrity is accused of a violent crime, the narrative moves fast. It’s easy to get lost in the clickbait. To stay truly informed on this case, you have to look past the social media clips and look at the court transcripts.
Here are the key things to remember moving forward:
- The Victim: The person Rocky is accused of shooting is Terell Ephron (A$AP Relli).
- The Charges: Two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, with allegations of personally using a firearm.
- The Defense: Rocky maintains his total innocence, claiming the allegations are a financial shakedown.
- The Current Status: The case is still moving through the California court system, with a trial date being the next major milestone.
If you want to follow this case closely, monitor the Los Angeles County Superior Court filings rather than relying on Twitter rumors. Celebrity trials are often won or lost on technicalities that don't make it into a 15-second TikTok summary. Stay focused on the evidence—specifically the outcome of the forensic analysis on the shell casings and the final admissibility of the surveillance tapes. These will be the deciding factors in whether Rocky remains a free man or faces a lengthy stint behind bars.