Megan Thee Stallion’s shooting by Tory Lanez has already sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. It has sparked protests around the country demanding accountability and justice. The incident occurred on July 12th, 2020. It all went down at a 21st birthday party for reality-star-dynasty-member Kylie Jenner in the Hollywood Hills. After a heated debate between them on the way home, Lanez shot Megan. That event spurred multiple lawsuits and ultimately led to his conviction in December 2022.
At the center of the high-profile trial, Megan Thee Stallion took the stand to describe her traumatic experience from that night. To illustrate, she shared a story about an argument that spiraled out of control when they got outside of the party. Distressed, she demanded to exit the vehicle. In a heartbreaking detail, she recounted how right before the gunfire started, Lanez allegedly yelled at her to “dance.”
That jury listened to her grueling description of what she survived from her testimony. She initially walked away from the scene leaving a trail of blood. Just moments after the shooting occurred, a friend of the two involved quickly messaged her security team, stating simply, “Help… Tory shot Meg. This framing emphasized the urgency and seriousness of the matter.
Megan further shared that Lanez tried to intimidate her into shutting up by offering her $1 million to not speak on the shooting. After the shooting, he called her to say sorry, you know, and told her that he was “just too drunk.” Megan explained that she had originally lied to police about what happened because she didn’t want to get into more trouble.
In December 2022, after deliberation, a jury convicted Tory Lanez on three charges: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. As a result, he was later sentenced to ten years in prison for his deeds.
The impact of this case has been tremendous on both plaintiffs’ lives. To her credit, Megan Thee Stallion has waged fierce legal action against Tory Lanez. She was granted a five-year restraining order and sued a Tory Lanez supporter over defamation after the blogger wrote… In her victim impact statement as yet another survivor of gun violence, she described the tremendous impact that the shooting continues to have on her life.
“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace.” – Megan Thee Stallion
The entertainment community has been largely united behind Megan. Prominent women, like #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, have already published an open letter defending her. This kind of solidarity is crucial to understanding the case’s broader significance to national conversations around violence against women.
Lanez has refused to take responsibility and continues to deny his guilt and has filed several appeals since being convicted. Despite serving time, he released an album while incarcerated, which some critics viewed as an attempt to maintain relevance amid legal challenges.
Megan Thee Stallion hasn’t kept her head down this chaotic summer. She has continued to perform and release new music, using her platform to address her experiences and challenge societal narratives. On another one of her songs she stated, “speakin’ facts,” cementing her tenacity to always be upfront with her truth.
She targeted Toronto neighbor and fellow artist Drake. She called him out for throwing shots in his remix with 21 Savage that seemed to detail her recent shooting incident. This negative review only serves to reveal Megan’s fierce desire to stand against anybody who continues to contribute to dangerous narratives about her story.
While the lawsuits play out in court, both men have been vilified and lionized by various factions of the American public. The case has ignited discussions about gender-based violence and accountability, revealing deep divisions over how these issues are perceived in society.
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