Tranquillity in one of Los Angeles’ most exclusive neighborhoods was abruptly shattered on Sunday when gunfire rang out at pop superstar Rihanna’s Beverly Hills mansion.
According to police, the Los Angeles Police Department responded at 13:15 local time (21:15 GMT) after reports of shots being fired. Officers confirmed that a suspect was located and taken into custody shortly afterward.
A police official told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that the targeted home belonged to Rihanna and that assault rifle casings were found at the scene. Thankfully, no one was hurt during the attack. A law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that Rihanna was indeed inside the mansion at the time.
Details from LAPD reports paint a tense picture. Around 1:15 PM, a 30-year-old woman reportedly pulled up to the Beverly Crest property in a white Tesla. Investigators said the suspect fired between 7 and 10 rounds from what was described as an AR-15-style rifle. At least one bullet pierced an exterior wall, while others struck the mansion’s gate and a vehicle parked in the driveway.
It is not yet clear if Rihanna’s partner, A$AP Rocky, or their three children—RZA, Riot, and 5-month-old Rocki—were at home during the attack.
The suspect attempted to flee toward Coldwater Canyon Drive but was arrested shortly after at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, roughly eight miles from the residence. Officers recovered the weapon, noting the vehicle matched witness descriptions of a “dirty” white Tesla. While the suspect’s identity has not been released, she is currently being held as the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division leads the investigation.
Neighbors expressed shock at the sudden outbreak of violence in the usually serene star-studded enclave. One resident told reporters, “It sounded just like a loud pop… it’s not something you expect here.”
As of Monday morning, March 9, authorities have not determined a motive for the shooting. Rihanna, miraculously, emerged unscathed from what could have been a devastating attack.