A Florida woman accused of firing gunshots at the Los Angeles home of global music star Rihanna has made her first appearance in court following her arrest. The accused, 35-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, appeared in a blue jail jumpsuit before a judge on Tuesday after being charged in connection with the disturbing incident.
Prosecutors say Ortiz is facing several charges, including one count of attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a firearm. She has also been charged with shooting into an inhabited dwelling and firing at a motor vehicle.
During the brief court appearance, Ortiz’s attorney initially entered a plea before later withdrawing it. The case has since been adjourned, and she is scheduled to return to court on March 25.
Authorities say the accused remains behind bars with bail set at US$1.8 million, though preliminary reports indicate she had previously been booked on a bail amount exceeding US$10 million. The judge also issued protective orders preventing Ortiz from contacting Rihanna and her partner A$AP Rocky. The judge also ordered Ortiz to surrender any firearms.
Investigators allege that Ortiz drove to the singer’s residence and fired several rounds at the property while multiple people were present. At the time of the shooting, at least nine people were at the home, including Rihanna, Rocky, and their three children. The other individuals on the property included Rihanna’s mother, a Hollywood talent agent, and two other staff members, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
One of the bullets reportedly struck an Airstream trailer on the property where Rihanna and Rocky had reportedly occupied when the shots rang out. Police later tracked a white Tesla Model 3 believed to have been driven by Ortiz to a nearby shopping centre parking lot, where she was taken into custody.
In the aftermath of the frightening incident, Rihanna was later photographed leaving Los Angeles, with images showing luggage being loaded into vehicles before she boarded a private flight from Van Nuys Airport. Authorities say there is no known relationship between Ortiz and the singer. However, several troubling videos posted online before the shooting have since resurfaced.
In one YouTube clip shared earlier this year, Ortiz is seen holding a journal while making disturbing claims about the singer. In the video, she suggested that Rihanna was trying to harm her and went on to say that when the entertainer dies, God would take her to what she described as her “future.”
Another video, posted weeks later, reportedly shows Ortiz continuing a similar rant, at one point comparing Rihanna’s face to the devil while addressing the viewers. Court records also indicate that Ortiz has a history of mental health issues and had previously been placed under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows individuals to be involuntarily held for psychiatric evaluation.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.
