Rihanna’s Los Angeles
saw a development on March 25. The Florida woman charged with the attempted murder of the singer, after she fired around 20 shots at her residence in LA earlier this month, has pleaded not guilty.
Ivanna Lisette Ortiz is accused of opening fire on Rihanna’s Beverly Crest residence on March 8. She was charged with trying to shoot the Grammy winning pop icon, along with her rapper partner A$AP Rocky, their three young children and others who were in the home and another nearby property. Though no one was injured, she was arrested. The woman has now rejected murder and more than a dozen related charges.
Woman pleads not guilty
At the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Ortiz pleaded not guilty through her attorney. Court documents state that the 35-year-old had the intent of targeting Rihanna after allegedly firing about 20 bullets from an AR-15-style rifle into the tall exterior wall of her mansion at 13:15 local time (21:15 GMT). Video aired by KABC-TV appeared to show several bullet holes in the front gate. District Attorney Nathan Hochman had stated that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were in a trailer when the shooting happened. Meanwhile, Rihanna’s mother, their children and staff members were inside the house.
Ivanna Lisette Ortiz faces 14 charges
It was earlier reported that Ortiz faces 14 charges, including one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and one count of shooting at an inhabited vehicle. Ortiz, who is currently under detention, could face a life sentence in the case if convicted on all counts. Her bail was set at $1.875 million.
Judge Theresa McGonigle had also issued a protective order requiring Ortiz to stay away from Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, whose legal names are Robyn Fenty and Rakim Mayer, as well as their home. She has also been barred from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
Ortiz’s social media posts surface
After the arrest, posts from Ortiz’s social media accounts began circulating, and they painted a picture of someone whose fixation on Rihanna had been building for some time. On Facebook, Ortiz had directly addressed the singer weeks before the attack. “@badgalriri – Are you there?” she wrote. “‘Cause I was waiting for your AIDS 5-head self to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you’re talking to me where I’m not at.”
Rihanna shifted to undisclosed location
After the shooting incident, reports said Rihanna and her family left their LA home. As reported by TMZ, the singer was seen departing the property with her team before boarding a private jet, though her current location remains unknown.