Rick Ross accused of strangling, hitting woman in Miami Beach

Rapper Rick Ross was arrested Thursday in connection with a domestic violence incident at his Star Island mansion, where a woman accused him of repeatedly striking her and restricting her breathing during an altercation in August, according to Miami Beach police.

Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, voluntarily surrendered to detectives at Miami Beach Police headquarters Thursday before being taken into custody, police said. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m.

The 50-year-old rapper faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery. According to Miami Beach police and the arrest affidavit, the charges stem from an alleged late August domestic violence incident at his residence on Star Island that was reported to police on Sept. 29.

Arrest report details allegations against Rick Ross

The arrest affidavit says Ross and the alleged victim had been in a relationship for about a year and were living together at the time of the alleged incident. 

The woman told investigators that on Aug. 28 she was awakened around 7:44 a.m. by Ross, who she said was angry because she had been tagged in a photo on Instagram. Police said Ross questioned her about whether she was lying to him and allegedly slapped her in the face.

Later that morning, according to the affidavit, Ross accused the woman of being involved with another person and continued questioning her while she was in a bathroom. The woman told police Ross struck her in the chest several times and restricted her breathing by grabbing and twisting the collar of the hoodie she was wearing.

The affidavit alleges Ross then grabbed the woman by her ponytail and slammed her against a wall before striking her in the face, causing a busted lip. The report states he then pushed her to the floor, turned on the shower and attempted to spray her with the shower head. The woman was eventually able to leave the bathroom and later gathered her belongings and left the residence after Ross left, according to the affidavit.

Police said the woman later provided detectives with a sworn statement and timestamped photographs of her injuries. Investigators also reviewed surveillance video from the residence that they said showed a friend arriving to pick her up and being turned away. According to the affidavit, Ross later posted a photo on his Instagram account showing the friend arriving at the property.

Rick Ross and his attorney deny the allegations

Ross denied the allegations in a video statement posted to his Instagram Stories around noon Thursday.

“First and foremost, I’m totally innocent of the fabricated allegations made against myself. I repeat, I am totally innocent with these fabricated allegations,” Ross said. “I have such an amazing team, and I’m totally confident that these fabricated allegations will be laid to rest.”

Earlier on Thursday, Ross’ attorney, Bradley Horenstein, also denied the allegations against his client and urged the public not to rush to judgment as the case moves through the legal process.

“All I can say is that the allegations are false. He’s innocent. Everything is going to come out,” Horenstein told CBS News Miami. “We just ask that you allow the process to play out before rushing to judgment, because the truth will come in.”

Ross appeared via Zoom in Miami-Dade bond court Thursday morning, where Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer said she had reviewed the arrest report and found probable cause in the case.

During the hearing, Horenstein noted that Ross is a celebrity and asked that his client’s release be expedited. The judge set Ross’ bond at $4,000 on the battery by strangulation charge and $1,000 on the misdemeanor battery charge, for a total of $5,000. 

Ross bonded out late Thursday morning. He declined to answer further questions before leaving in a vehicle. He stated that he plans to travel to Dubai and Paris for performances over the weekend.

Glazer also issued a stay-away order involving the alleged victim, identified in court by her initials. Ross was ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with the alleged victim, including through third parties, social media, or other electronic means, and to stay away from the person’s home, workplace, or school.

Ross was also ordered to surrender any firearms and concealed weapons and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The judge also ordered him not to engage in criminal activity or use illegal drugs while the case is pending.

Miami Beach Police Officer Chris Bess said detectives obtained a victim statement, photographs of injuries, and surveillance video, establishing probable cause for the arrest.

“Our detectives and our police department take allegations of domestic violence very seriously, which is why we acted swiftly, and the allegations are heinous,” Bess said, noting that Roberts turned himself in voluntarily after the victim reported the incident on Tuesday.

Ross posted a video on Instagram late Thursday night while on his way to the airport saying, “It’s been an extremely hell of a day, yet we got so much to be thankful for.

His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Ross, a Miami-area native known for songs including “Hustlin’,” has been a prominent figure in hip-hop for two decades.