"I wish he would have just shot and killed me": Megan Thee Stallion testifies against Tory Lanez

Grammy-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion took the stand in a Los Angeles courtroom this week (Tuesday 15 December) and told jurors that rapper Tory Lanez fired five shots at her feet, yelled at her to dance and wounded her as she tried to walk away from him in the Hollywood Hills more than two years ago.

“I’m in shock. I’m scared," the hip-hop superstar testified.

“I hear the gun going off, and I can’t believe he’s shooting at me.”

Her testimony came on the second day of the trial of the Canadian rapper Lanez, 30, who has pleaded not guilty to discharging a firearm with gross negligence, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle.

Lanez could face up to 22 years in prison if convicted of all three charges.

• 11 men receive suspended sentences for cyber attack on French singer Eddy de Pretto

• Man who shot Lady Gaga's dog walker sentenced to 21 years in prison

Who are Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez?

Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, was already a major up-and-coming star at the time of the incident, and her career has skyrocketed since.

She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and had No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with her own song “Savage” featuring Beyoncé and as a guest on Cardi B’s mega-hit “WAP.”

Lanez has had a successful run of mixtapes and major-label records since his career began in 2009, with his last two albums reaching the top 10 on Billboard’s charts.

He also received a Grammy Award nomination for his song "Luv" as well as four Juno Awards.

Details of the incident

“I just don’t feel good,” Megan, 27, said at the beginning of questioning from Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta. “I can’t believe I have to come in here and do this.”

She said that on 12 July 2020, she left a party at the Hollywood Hills home of Kylie Jenner in an SUV with Lanez, his bodyguard and her friend Kelsey Harris.

Megan said she and Lanez had become close, bonding over the loss of their mothers, and had an occasionally sexual relationship. Her friend Harris, who had a “crush” on Lanez, tried to stir up trouble between the women by telling Megan she needed to stop lying to her friend.

The argument spiralled out of control, and became even more heated when she and Lanez started trashing each other's music and careers, Megan said.

“I feel like that really rubbed him the wrong way,” she said. “He kept yelling and cursing.”

She was wearing a bikini, but got out of the vehicle and tried to walk away when Lanez leaned out and opened fire, she said, leaving the back of her feet wounded. At one point, he yelled “Dance, bitch!” she testified.

“I looked down at my feet, and I see all the blood,” she said. “Now everybody’s screaming. He looked shocked. Kelsey looked shocked.”

The "WAP" rapper left a trail of blood at the scene, before getting back into the vehicle, and driving away from the scene, with Harris, Lanez and his security guard.

Megan said that Lanez has that the Canadian artist had begged her not to tell the police that she had shot her because he had prior legal issues and offered Harris and her $1m to keep quiet.

The vehicle was eventually stopped by police, whom which Megan told them that she had cut her feet on glass.

Lanez was arrested for having a concealed weapon.

Trial proceedings

"I can't even be happy," said Megan during the trial, her voice breaking during her afternoon testimony.

"I can't hold conversations with people for a long time. I don't feel like I want to be on this earth. I wish he would have just shot and killed me, if I knew I would have to go through this torture."

Lanez' attorney George Mgdesyan said in his opening statement that her injury showed she would not have had a clear look at the shooter behind her, and that he would present more evidence that countered her story during the trial.

Lanez, wearing a tan suit and turtleneck arrived at court holding his young son’s hand. He carried the boy out of the courthouse at lunch break and at the end of the day.

“This is my support system and I’m his too,” he told reporters.

Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, could get more than 22 years in prison if convicted on all counts and could also be deported to his native Canada.

The trial continues.