According to AP’s report from the March 25 hearing, Ortiz entered the plea in Los Angeles Superior Court after a newly public police report said bullets hit the trailer while Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were inside. Prosecutors say the case now includes one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three additional shooting-related counts tied to the trailer and nearby homes.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said Ortiz faces a potential life sentence if convicted. District Attorney Nathan Hochman said, “Opening fire in any populated neighborhood is extremely dangerous, puts lives at risk and will be fully prosecuted.”
Reuters reported from the same hearing that Judge Theresa McGonigle rejected a defense request to lower Ortiz’s bail, leaving it at $1.875 million. Prosecutors also said Ortiz was arrested shortly after the shooting and that investigators recovered a rifle, ammunition and a disguise from her vehicle.
Rihanna home shooting case: charges and allegations
Authorities say Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, the couple’s three young children and other people were at or near the property when the gunfire began. Investigators say rounds struck the trailer, exterior walls and a neighboring home, underscoring why prosecutors are treating the case as more than a celebrity-security scare.
Ortiz has not publicly explained a motive, and prosecutors have said the investigation into any connection between her and Rihanna remains open. The not-guilty plea does not resolve the allegations, but it shifts the case from the initial shock of the shooting to a courtroom fight over intent, risk and whether prosecutors can prove attempted murder beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rihanna home shooting timeline
For readers catching up, AP’s first report after police took a woman into custody showed the case beginning as an afternoon shooting call with no confirmed motive and no reported injuries. A day later, AP’s follow-up on the attempted-murder filing documented how quickly the investigation turned into a high-profile felony prosecution.
That fast-moving timeline is part of why the March 25 plea mattered. What started as a police response in Beverly Crest has now become a closely watched criminal case centered on who was endangered, what prosecutors can prove about intent and how aggressively Los Angeles authorities plan to pursue the Rihanna home shooting.
