Troy Ave Testifies At Taxstone’s Trial Regarding Irving Plaza Shooting
Written by djfrosty on March 14, 2023
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
After several years of speculation, Troy Ave has finally spoken about the murder of his friend. The rapper testified at Taxstone’s trial.
As spotted on Complex, the Brooklyn, New York native took the stand Monday, March 13 ,at the podcaster’s murder trial. Back in 2016 both individuals were in attendance for a T.I. concert at the Irving Plaza concert hall. The two had ongoing online beef where the media personality had questioned the rapper’s street credibility. It is alleged Tax, born Daryl Campbell, had entered the venue with a gun on his person. Shortly after the two see each other it is alleged Tax and Troy Ave’s bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatta get into a fight which leaves Banga shot.
While the streets have an overall idea of what happened, the “Everything” MC detailed the deadly incident in court. “When the shot goes off I see the light from the spark and I hear the shot,” he states. “This is all happening fast. I get up and start fighting Taxstone, trying to take him, grab the gun, and another shot goes off. I put my leg up to kind of block the shot from hitting me in the face or chest.”
The gun goes off again and then he is shot in the leg. Troy then goes on to explain his mind frame at the time. “I got up, I’d rather die fighting. People die from leg shots. I’d rather die fighting than laying on the ground. I got up immediately.” He also shared how he stayed with Banga as he was dying. “I rolled his body over and I’m like, ‘Banga, get up. Come on.’ I’m smacking him, like, ‘C’mon bro. Get up,’” he recalled. “And his eyes were rolling to the back of his head. His shirt was red so I could tell he got shot.”
Taxstone is formally charged with committing second-degree murder and federal gun charges; to which he has already plead guilty to. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the gun charges and faces 15 years to life if found guilty on the murder charges.
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