Woman accused of shooting at Rihanna’s L.A. home charged with attempted murder
Woman Accused of Shooting at Rihanna’s L.A. Home Charged with Attempted Murder
Charges and Victims
A 35-year-old Florida woman, Ivanna Ortiz, was charged with attempted murder on Tuesday following an incident where she fired at Rihanna’s residence in Los Angeles, prosecutors announced. The charges also include 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three felony counts for targeting inhabited dwellings, per the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Additional special allegations, such as personal firearm discharge and its use, are attached to each count. District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated that the attack targeted 10 individuals: Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky, their three children, three household staff, and two neighbors at a nearby home. No injuries were reported during the shooting. Ortiz’s arraignment is scheduled for later this month, and her bail was set at $1.875 million. If convicted, she could face life imprisonment.
Incident Details and Evidence
The shooting occurred Sunday afternoon in the Beverly Crest neighborhood. According to Los Angeles Police, the attack was carried out using an AR-15-style rifle. Neighbors claimed to have seen a woman possibly wearing a wig driving a white Tesla near the property before gunfire erupted, as relayed by Police Chief Jim McDonnell during a Tuesday morning briefing. The gate, the Airstream trailer on the property, and the neighboring residence each showed signs of being hit by bullets, McDonnell noted. Automatic license plate recognition aided police in locating Ortiz, who was found behind the wheel of the Tesla in Sherman Oaks. She was arrested during a traffic stop without incident. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered an AR-15, spent casings, and a blonde wig. In the trunk, they found extra ammunition and a 30-round magazine.
Suspect’s Background and Motive
Ortiz’s identity was confirmed through Florida state records, which note she is a licensed speech-language pathologist currently in good standing. Her divorce from a former spouse involved a 2023 instance of violence, as detailed in an arrest affidavit. The document suggests she sent a message to her ex-husband stating, “You’ll be socked on the nose tonight” after he dropped off their children at her apartment. Cellphone footage allegedly captured Ortiz using a homophobic slur against the man during the confrontation, according to the affidavit. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
“When an individual comes into our community and decides to shoot it up, that individual will be arrested and held fully accountable for her actions,” Hochman said during a Tuesday news conference outside the downtown L.A. courthouse.
Legal Status and Next Steps
It is unclear if Ortiz has hired legal counsel, as the county public defender did not respond immediately to inquiries. The suspect invoked her right to counsel and made no statements during her arrest.
Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
