Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave was shot in East Flatbush Sunday afternoon, resulting in a bullet to the skull and shoulder, his attorney said.
The rapper, whose real name is Roland Collins, was inside a car at a red light near East 91st Street and Linden Boulevard at around 4:20 p.m., police said. He then noticed a suspect walk up to the vehicle from behind in the rear-view mirror before gunshots were fired. The shooter, who was wearing a black hoodie, fled on foot.
His girlfriend was in the passenger seat at the time of the shooting, but was unharmed, according to his attorney John Stella.
"My heart goes out for his family. I know this is something they all worry about," Stella said. "It is unfortunate that this is something in the back of his mind...always the possibility of being targeted."
He told NBC 4 New York that the Crown Heights rapper was discharged from the hospital on Monday.
Collins attempted to drive himself to the hospital but only got about 4 to 6 blocks before he pulled into a one-way street and exited the car. A good samaritan drove him the remainder of the way to Brookdale Hospital, where he is being treated.
The 34-year-old suffered two gunshot wounds: one to the shoulder and a graze to the head. One of the bullets lodged into his back, resulting in a spinal cord injury.
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Doctors were trying to figure out whether to remove it Sunday night, but opted to leave them in since neither caused lasting damage.
Collins was driving through his old neighborhood to have Christmas dinner at his mother's house, his attorney said.
This is the second incident this year where Collins has run into trouble with guns. He was charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon for his involvement in a May 26 shooting at Irving Plaza that killed his bodyguard and wounded three others.
Collins was shot in the leg. He faces felony charges in connection to the melee.
His lawyer says he has had no threats or encounters since the Irving Plaza incident, especially since he has a restrictive curfew.
The motive for the shooting is unknown.
