Rapper Lil TJay 1 of 2 people shot overnight near shopping plaza in Edgewater, New Jersey
EDGEWATER, N.J. -- Police responded to a double shooting in Edgewater involving a rapper early Wednesday morning.
The two scenes were about a half mile from each other.
As CBS2's Kevin Rincon reported, it was at a busy shopping plaza on River Road where a little after midnight police say a 21-year-old man was shot. CBS2 has since learned that man was rapper Lil TJay.
Police said another victim was found just down the road at a gas station.
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said the shooting was the result of an attempted robbery, adding three arrests have been made.
Update on #BCPONJ & @EdgewaterPolice inv. of 6/22 shooting: alleged shooter arrested & charged with attempted murder, armed robbery & weapons charges. 2 others charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. 1 victim released from hospital; other in critical but stable condition.
— BCPONJ (@BCPONJ) June 23, 2022
Mohamed Konate, 27, was charged with attempted murder and armed robbery. He was arrested in the city and is awaiting extradition. Prosecutors said the two men who were with Lil TJay during the shooting were also arrested for unlawful possession of a weapon. They're being held in jail pending their first court appearance.
Lil TJay is a well-known artist, with millions of followers on social media and signed to Columbia Records. He's from the Bronx, but is known to spend time in Edgewater, especially at The Promenade.
"When I seen him in the place, I didn't think anything of it," one man said.
In Edgewater, he's been able to fly under the radar.
pray for my lil bro lil Tjay 🙏🏽
— French Montana (@FrencHMonTanA) June 22, 2022
"He was outside like a regular person. He wasn't flashy or nothing. Black hoody, jeans, some white ups," the man said.
But early Wednesday morning, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office and Edgewater Police responded to a shooting outside a Chipotle restaurant.
Lil TJay was rushed to the hospital. Fellow performer Bugzee Lix said he has since come out of a surgery, and has a long recovery ahead.
He said what happened is exactly what Lil TJay was hoping to avoid.
"All of the celebrity rappers try to have a safe haven, a mutual ground where we can just be with our families, chill, relax and have peace of mind," Lix said.
He said the two of them usually talk music, but he intends to remind him of the dangers associated with fame.
"In other professions where you have these multimillionaires, they'll walk around a lot of times by themselves, and you won't even know who it is. It's only in the rap industry where you're wearing your jewelry, wearing your diamonds. We've got to do something different so the violence decreases instead of always having these tragic stories from a prolific artists like Lil TJay," Lix said.
Fellow rapper French Montana also tweeted, "pray for my lil bro lil Tjay."
Update on #BCPONJ & @EdgewaterPolice investigation in Edgewater NJ shooting: per initial investigation, does not appear to be random act and one victim upgraded from critical to stable condition. Other admitted to hospital with non-life threatening injuries in good condition.
— BCPONJ (@BCPONJ) June 22, 2022
Meanwhile, half a mile down the road at an Exxon gas station, police found another gunshot victim, who was loaded into the back of an ambulance and also taken to the hospital.
Those who frequent the waterfront plaza said no place is untouched by gun violence anymore.
"The couple times I've been here, it's been real quiet, peaceful, nice. In and out," one man said.
"Just doesn't stop. It just happens everywhere in the whole city, everywhere," said another.