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Tory Lanez is currently on trial two years after he was accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
On Monday, December 12, the Alone At Prom artist entered a courtroom in Los Angeles to begin the proceedings of his trial. The multiplatinum selling rapper-singer faces charges of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in his vehicle and negligent discharge of a firearm. His charges stem from an incident that occurred on the night of July 12, 2020. Lanez is accused of shooting Meg in the feet, which resulted in an emergency operation to remove the bullet fragments.
The shooting in question happened not far from Kylie Jenner's pool party that she hosted in Hollywood Hills. Since then, a lot has happened between Tory, Kelsey and Meg that have made headlines over the past two years. In case you haven't been paying attention, here's a timeline of everything that went down leading up to the trial.
July 12, 2020 - Megan Thee Stallion, Kylie Jenner and Tory Lanez spotted at Jenner's house for a pool party
According to a fan's social post, Meg, Tory and Kylie looked like everything was all good in the hood as they took a nighttime dip in the Kardashian sister's pool. The video arrives a few months after Meg and Tory were seen getting chummy and busting out dance moves on Instagram Live towards the beginning of the pandemic.
July 12, 2020 - Tory Lanez is arrested after Megan Thee Stallion reveals foot injury
Lanez gets pulled over by police. Officers arrest him for carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in is vehicle. Megan Thee Stallion, who was with him along with Kelsey Harris and driver Jauquan Smith, steps out of the car revealing her bloody foot injury. She's taken to a local hospital for treatment.
July 15, 2020 - Megan Thee Stallion confirms that she was shot
In response to the video making its way to the Internet, Meg confirms that she suffered from gunshot injuries on the same night that Tory Lanez was arrested. At the time, she did not ID the shooter.
"On Sunday morning, I suffered gunshot wounds, as a result of a crime that was committed against me and done with the intention to physically harm me," Stallion writes. "I was never arrested, the police officers drove me to the hospital where I underwent surgery to remove the bullets. I'm incredibly grateful to be alive and that I'm expected to make a full recovery, but it was important for me to clarify the details about this traumatic night."
She later deleted the post.
July 17, 2020 - Megan Thee Stallion defends herself against backlash after the shooting
This is the first viral instance in which Megan Thee Stallion felt compelled to address people who were minimizing her traumatic experience. It's the first of many statements she made to combat those who didn't believe her story.
August 20, 2020 - Megan Thee Stallion formally accuses Tory Lanez of shooting her
Over a month after the shooting occurred, Megan officially accuses Lanez of firing bullets at her in an Instagram Live session. She claims that the artist had his publicist and his team tell lies to blogs.
"Yes this n***a Tory shot me. You shot me!" she says in the lengthy video.
September 25, 2020 - Tory Lanez breaks his silence by releasing DAYSTAR album
After refusing to directly comment on the shooting, Tory Lanez decides to vent about it on his album DAYSTAR. The album inspired by his birth name, Daystar Peterson, features numerous bars that allude to the incident. “We both know what happened that night and what I did,” he raps on "Friends Become Strangers." “You could’ve asked, ‘N***a what happened, did you do it?’," he says on "Sorry I Had To." The album also references her comments on Instagram Live, cancel culture and the backlash he received. He even includes samples of people talking about the incident.
October 4, 2020 - Megan Thee Stallion references the shooting in her performance on Saturday Night Live
During her debut set on SNL, the Houston native performs her Grammy award-winning song "Savage (Remix)" in front of a backdrop that read "Protect Black Women." Midway through her performance, gunshots ring out behind her and her dancers before activists Malcom X and Tamika Mallory spoke about the importance of shielding Black women before she gave her own speech. "We need to protect our Black women," she says. "And love our Black women 'cause at the end of the day, we need our Black women."
October 8, 2020 - The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office formally charges Tory Lanez
In a press release, LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announce that they charged Lanez with one count of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. They also acknowledged the allegation that he "personally inflicted great bodily injury" with a gun.
"On July 12, the defendant and the 24-year-old victim got into an argument while riding in an SUV in the Hollywood Hills," the statement says. "The victim exited the vehicle and Peterson is accused of shooting several times at her feet and wounding her."
October 13, 2020 - Tory Lanez is ordered to stay away from Megan Thee Stallion
During a hearing, a judge issues a protective order against Lanez. It forbids him from being within 100 feet of the "Body" rapper by any means including "personal, electronic, telephonic or written" contact. According to the New York Daily News, the judge also raised his bail from $35,000 to $190,000, but his bail bondsman was ready to make the updated payment. On the same day, Megan Thee Stallion opens up about the incident in an op-ed for The New York Times.
"I was recently the victim of an act of violence by a man," she writes. "After a party, I was shot twice as I walked away from him. We were not in a relationship. Truthfully, I was shocked that I ended up in that place."
November 20, 2020 - Megan Thee Stallion speaks on the shooting on her Good News album
After promoting the album throughout the year, Meg finally releases her Good News LP. The album features a track appropriately dubbed "Shots Fired" in which she lives up to the song's title.
"Imagine n****s lyin' 'bout shootin' a real b***h," she raps." "Just to save face for rapper n****s you chill with."
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
July 25, 2021 - Tory Lanez violates protective order by making surprise appearance at Rolling Loud Miami
Despite the protective order against him, Tory Lanez decides to head down to Miami for Rolling Loud. Megan Thee Stallion had just exited the main stage following her set before DaBaby began his performance. Midway through, Lanez makes a surprise appearance with DaBaby while Meg was still on the premises. A month after his set made headlines, the judge increased the rapper's bail from $190,000 to $250,000.
December 14, 2021 - Detective reveals more details about the shooting during testimony
During a preliminary hearing, Detective Ryan Stogner speaks about what happened moments before the shooting occurred. Stogner testified that Lanez screamed "Dance, b***h" at Megan before he shot at her feet.
“[Megan] observed Mr. Peterson holding a firearm, and then she observed him start to shoot,” Stogner says according to Rolling Stone. “Megan immediately felt pain to her feet, observed blood, fell to the ground, and then crawled to an adjacent driveway of a residence…She described her injuries as bleeding profusely.”
February 23, 2022 - Misinformed social post alleges Tory Lanez's DNA was not found on the gun
The post caught the attention of blogs, but was quickly debunked after fact checkers confirm that no evidence regarding DNA was presented during the preliminary hearing.
April 24, 2022 - Megan Thee Stallion speaks on the shooting in nationally televised interview
It was the first time Meg opens up about the incident during a formal interview on camera. She repeats her story in detail.
"He is standing up over the window shooting. And I didn't even want to move. I didn't want to move too quick," Meg tells CBS Mornings' Gayle King. "I don't know if he's gonna shoot something that's, like, super important. I don't know if he could shoot me and kill me."
August 12, 2022 - Megan Thee Stallion releases new song with reference to the shooting
Megan decides to tackle the subject again on her song "Who Me."
"I feel like Biggie, who shot you?" she spits. "But everybody know who shot me, b***h."
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
September 18, 2022 - August Alsina claims he was assaulted by Tory Lanez
Singer August Alsina took to Instagram to rehash the violent run-in he had with Tory following his set at a concert in Chicago.
"As I’m exiting the building after the show last night, A 4’11 sized leprechaun ran down on me w/ 8 oversized security n****s, whom I greeted each individually upon their walk up as they tried to press me," Alsina writes. "Whole time, I’m one deep. No security."
Tory Lanez instantly denies the claims Alsina made during a conversation. Over a week later, Lanez appears on The Breakfast Club and completely dodges the subject.
“Look, man, like I said, I’m just here to answer about the album,” Tory says. “I’m just here for the album and positivity. I’m always here to answer all the questions and stuff. Everything that’s been going on in my life and the things going on around me, I just try to keep positive. No disrespect, I’m just not here to talk about it.”
October 4, 2022 - Tory Lanez acknowledges the severity of his legal situation
During an interview with the Off The Record podcast, Lanez reiterates how he doesn't owe any explanations to anyone outside of his situation. He even emphasized the amount of time he's facing if convicted.
"Guys, I am actively facing 24 years next month," he says.
October 26, 2022 - Tory Lanez is placed on house arrest ahead of his trial
Prosecutors initially demand for Lanez to be taken into custody for violating the terms of his bail following the incident with August Alsina. A judge decides to meet the prosecution halfway and orders the artist to remain on house arrest until the trial begins. Lanez is required to wear an ankle monitor at all times.
November 4, 2022 - Drake seemingly references the shooting his song with 21 Savage on their Her Loss album
In their song "Circo Loco," Drake raps "This b***h lie 'bout gettin' shots, but she still a stallion/She don't even get the joke, but she still smilin'/Every night late night like I'm Jimmy Fallon." Social media explodes with commentary which leads Meg to speak out on how she's been treated throughout the course of her legal battle with Tory.
"Stop using my shooting for clout b***h ass N****s!" she tweets. "Since when tf is it cool to joke abt women getting shot ! You n****s especially RAP N****S ARE LAME! Ready to boycott bout shoes and clothes but dog pile on a black woman when she say one of y’all homeboys abused her."
December 5, 2022 - Jury selection for the trial begins and another charge is added
The prosecution and the defense meet to conduct jury selection. On the following day, prosecutors added another charge to Lanez's docket. Lanez was charged with discharging a firearm with gross negligence. The charge comes with six years in prison if convicted. However, the charge won't increase his current maximum sentence because it relates to the same alleged behavior. He would serve the additional time concurrently.
December 12, 2022 - The trial officially begins with opening statements
The trial begins in Los Angeles. During their opening statements, the prosecution alleges that Lanez shot Megan five times in a drunken rage after she insulted him in the car during an argument. They show evidence of multiple texts messages in which Lanez apologizes for the shooting and claims the artist gave an alleged confession to his bodyguard the day after it happened. The defense responded by offering its own theory. Lanez's lawyer claims that his client didn't shoot Megan even though he and Kelsey Harris tested positive for gunshot residue. He alleges that Harris was the one who fired the gun in a jealous fit after Lanez revealed during an argument that he and Meg allegedly had an intimate relationship. Both Megan and Kelsey denied ever being in a relationship with him.