Maino’s Girlfriend Plans To Sue the NYPD Following Irving Plaza Shooting
The fallout from the fatal shooting that occurred last week at T.I.'s concert at Irving Plaza in New York City continues. Three people were wounded and one killed when a gunman opened fire in one of the venue's green rooms. Rapper Troy Ave was subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder; the man killed was his associate Ronald "Banga" McPhatter, and two of the people wounded have been confirmed as Troy--who shot himself in the leg--and model Maggie Carrie Heckstall, who was struck in the leg by a stray bullet as she tried to escape the melee.
Now Heckstall, who is allegedly rapper Maino's girlfriend, is planning to sue those involved--including the NYPD. Reportedly, Heckstall took exception to how she was treated by the authorities in the aftermath of the violence.
"[Police] want to investigate and we get that, but don’t make her life miserable because she took a stray bullet,” her attorney, Emel McDowell told the New York Post.
“We understand the NYPD is doing their job, but she’s not under investigation,” McDowell continues. “She’s not in custody for the crime. She didn’t ask for police protection. She’s obviously a victim in this. They’re making her life worse by doing this."
Maino was initially reported as part of the altercation with Troy Ave due to what was called a long-standing beef between the two rappers' camps--a claim Maino subsequently denied. Heckstall hasn't commented on that. Reportedly, her family has not been allowed to visit her in the hospital as she recovers from the shooting and police have watched her room. McDowell sent a cease-and-desist letter to the NYPD demanding that they remove their presence from her room.
"The infringement upon Ms. Heckstall’s 4th Amendment right to be free from illegal search and seizure is emotionally draining for Ms. Heckstall and also an impediment to her speedy and full recovery,” the letter states. McDowell also shared Heckstall's statement regarding what happened that night.
"He came into the area they were in, the green room where everyone was sitting. She just heard the shots,” the lawyer says, recounting her story. “It was initially three, four shots, then another shot, then four more — pop, pop, pop. She felt the burning sensation, then started screaming and hit the ground.”
For her part, Heckstall has maintained that she has no idea who the shooter was. She wrote a lengthy Instagram post stating both her inability to confirm the gunman and to disparage the NYPD's behavior.
"I DO NOT KNOW WHO SHOT ME. I have not given a signed statement to NYPD or detectives.. Nor have my lawyers! The situation happen so fast that I didn't look to see what was going on. I was just trying to get out of the room with my leg dangling. I didn't even hear nothing about Troy Ave until the next day. As for the NYPD being at my door and denying my visits was very uncalled for. I don't need protection. The bullet was a stray and my family coming to see doesn't tamper with the detectives investigation."