Shots were fired outside the Beverly Hills-area home of pop superstar Rihanna on Sunday afternoon, and a woman suspected of carrying out the attack was swiftly arrested.
Authorities say the incident unfolded around 1:21 p.m. in the upscale community of Beverly Hills Post Office, where the singer resides. Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded after receiving reports that gunfire had been directed toward the residence.
Investigators later determined that a 30-year-old woman, who was travelling in a white Tesla, had fired several rounds toward the property from inside her vehicle. At least one bullet penetrated part of the mansion’s exterior wall, according to The Times, citing a police source. Despite the gunfire, no injuries were reported, law enforcement confirmed.
According to LAPD radio communications, the suspect had parked across the street and fired at least 10 shots. The suspect fled immediately after the shooting, heading south along Coldwater Canyon Drive. Dispatchers broadcast a description of both the vehicle and the driver to officers in the area as the search for the suspect began.
Police reports indicated the suspect had braided hair and was wearing a cream-colored blouse at the time. Authorities also noted the vehicle appeared dirty along its lower panels.
The vehicle was first spotted by a police helicopter. It was still in motion, and the aircraft followed to Sherman Oaks, where police intercepted the vehicle. Officers pulled over the vehicle at a shopping centre parking lot. Reports say that when officers moved in and detained the driver, it was roughly 30 minutes after the initial emergency call.
After apprehending the suspect, investigators searched the vehicle and reportedly recovered an assault rifle along with seven spent shell casings, according to an LAPD spokesperson.
Back at the residence, officers examined the property for damage. Police said they discovered bullet holes in the front gate of the home as well as in a recreational vehicle parked in the driveway. Law enforcement sources indicated that Rihanna was inside the home at the time of the shooting, though it remains unclear whether other family members were present.
The Grammy-winning artist reportedly lives at the property with her longtime partner, rapper ASAP Rocky. The couple share three young children together, two sons and a daughter, though officials have not confirmed whether they were home during the incident.
Sunday’s shooting is not the first time the singer’s residence has been targeted. In 2018, a man named Eduardo Leon broke into Rihanna’s Hollywood Hills home and remained inside the property for several hours before he was discovered. He gained entry after he climbed over a fence while the singer was away. After about 12 hours, when her assistant came to the house the next day, Leon was discovered, and the police were alerted. Prosecutors later charged him with stalking.
