Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky, their three children and the singer’s mother were at home when a woman allegedly fired shots at their property, a prosecutor confirmed Tuesday.
Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 35, of Orlando, Florida, faces charges including attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle. Authorities said no one was injured.
At the time of the Sunday afternoon incident, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were in a trailer on the property, while other family members and staff were inside the Beverly Hills-area home, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.
Ortiz appeared in court wearing blue jail clothes and spoke with her lawyer through a glass divider. Her initial not guilty plea was withdrawn and arraignment was postponed until March 25. She is being held on $1.8 million bail. If convicted on all 14 felony counts, Ortiz could face life in prison.
Judge Theresa McGonigle issued a protective order barring Ortiz from contacting Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, or their home. Ortiz is also prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Authorities praised the swift police response, which led to Ortiz’s arrest shortly after the shooting in Sherman Oaks, several kilometres from the property. The investigation into her motive and any connection to Rihanna remains ongoing.
This is the latest security scare for the singer, who previously experienced a 2018 home intrusion in the Hollywood Hills.
Rihanna, a nine-time Grammy winner and founder of Fenty Beauty, and A$AP Rocky recently welcomed their third child, a daughter named Rocki Irish Mayers.
