Yahoo Movies 3 suspects arrested in connection with Tekashi 6ix9ine attack at Florida gym
John Parra/Getty Images Tekashi 6ix9ine
Roughly a week after rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine was assaulted inside a South Florida gym, law enforcement officials have arrested three men in connection with the incident.
The suspects — Rafael Medina, Jr., 43; Octavious Medina, 23; and Anthony Maldonado, 25 — were arrested for assault and robbery, according to a tweet from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. They are currently in custody.
PBSO Detectives arrested three suspects for Assaulting and Robbing Daniel Hernandez on March 21, 2023. All three suspects; Rafael Medina, Jr., Octavious Medina, and Anthony Maldonado, have been located, arrested and are currently being booked/processed into the Palm Beach County… https://t.co/ix5k6BxXr7
— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) March 31, 2023
The 26-year-old rapper — real name: Daniel Hernandez — sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his face after "several individuals" ambushed and attacked him inside an LA Fitness, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office confirmed to EW after the incident. The perpetrators fled after employees became aware of the disturbance, and 6ix9ine was transported via ambulance to a local hospital.
The motive behind the assault remains unclear. The rapper's attorney, Lance Lazzaro, did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.
A polarizing public persona known for his legal troubles and celebrity feuds, 6ix9ine was released from prison in 2020 following an arrest the year before on charges pertaining to racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses, which stemmed from his involvement with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang. A judge reduced his sentence after he helped prosecutors send several gang members to prison.
His first song following his prison release, "GOOBA," alluded to his cooperation with the feds, with him rapping, "Tell me how I ratted / Came home to a big bag." 6ix9ine was also the subject of the 2020 Hulu documentary 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, from director Vikram Gandhi, which charted the rise and fall of the controversial rapper and what Gandhi called an addiction to fame in the digital era.
"What made him so fascinating were the contradictions built into his very existence: a Mexican kid with facial tattoos and rainbow hair shouting the N-word, flaunting gang affiliation, starting beef, and posting his own violent acts online," Gandhi said in a statement at the time, calling the project a probe into identity. "I strongly believe that the core of documentary filming is access, sitting down with people and really listening to them."
"As I moved further into the story," Gandhi added, "I met a motley crew of personalities who were integral to Tekashi69's development as an artist and celebrity. Danny Hernandez wanted to be famous so badly that he was devoured by his digital avatar, Tekashi69."
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