NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 29: Troy Ave attends Sprinklez New York Takeover on December 29, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Troy Ave testified Monday in Taxstone’s murder trial that the two struggled over the gun that was used in the deadly shooting of the rapper’s bodyguard at a T.I. concert back in 2016.
Days prior to Troy Ave taking the stand, his rival Taxstone suggested he’d be lying in his testimony. However, Ave said it was “fight or flight” in the shooting death of Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, and that “he’d rather die fighting,” in an incident that saw him get shot in both legs, according to the New York Post.
“If it’s fight or flight I’m always going to fight because at that point you could die,” Troy Ave said.
The Brooklyn rapper compared their tussle to a high school wrestling match, adding “this all happened (so) fast. I (got) up and started fighting Taxstone, trying to take him… and grab the gun.”
“When the shot goes off I see the light from the spark and I hear the shot,” he said. “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.”
He continued: “I got up,”getting shot, Ave said. “I’d rather die fighting. People die from leg shots. I’d rather die fighting than laying on the ground. I got up immediately.”
Ave went on to testify that he tried to shoot Taxstone after getting his hands on the firearm, however the gun misfired as Taxtone fled the scene.
He ended up being the only one seen in CCTV footage firing the weapon, which was eventually discovered in the vehicle he had used to drive himself to a nearby hospital.
Ave was initially arrested for attempted murder, however those charges were later dropped after Taxstone’s DNA was found on the trigger of the gun in question. Taxstone himself was then arrested, the Post reports.
Ave claims Taxstone shouted “what’s poppin’?” at him after the rapper and his bodyguard entered the VIP room prior to T.I. taking the stage.
“Banga turns around to me and says, ‘I’m gonna rock him,’ which means, ‘I’m gonna hit him,’” Ave testified. “And then I wink at him—I tell him, ‘Do your thing.’”
That’s when Ave says Taxstone reportedly pulled a gun from his waistband before the two began to struggle.
Ave added that he stayed by McPhatter’s side upon learning he was shot.
“I rolled his body over and I’m like, ‘Banga, get up. Come on.’ I’m smacking him, like, ‘C’mon bro. Get up,’” Ave recalled. “And his eyes were rolling to the back of his head. His shirt was red so I could tell he got shot.”
Following his testimony Monday, Ave took to Instagram and made a post referencing Jay-Z lyrics that read: “Today is the day I finally get to clear my name.”
He continued, “It’s been almost 7 years since I lost one of my closest friends #RIPBANGA 💔, 7 years of a narrative about it being my fault, 7 years of my character being assassinated all the while Trying to defend myself without saying much!
“I took it all on the chin, never complained about the stress even tho I felt it. Never complained about the pain even tho it hurt! Never shed a tear even tho my heart was crying!”
Ave went on to say that “At my weakest points I drew strength from GOD! drew strength from my Children & drew strength from Yall 💪🏾❤️‼️ but today…Ya Boi is Strong! Today..is our day! We in court & the facts will speak louder than any words! It’s time to get this false narrative off my name and dark cloud off my head.”
