Rygin King Arrested In New York For Gun Possession
Dancehall star Rygin King has been arrested in New York on a slew of weapons possession charges, DancehallMag has confirmed.
Update: Rygin King’s Wife, Four Other Men Were Also Arrested In New York Over Illegal Gun
According to New York State court records, the charges include criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (loaded firearm), criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (ammo clips), possession of an ammunition feeding device, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
The 29-year-old artist, whose real name is Matthew Smith, was arrested by the NYPD 113th Precinct’s ‘Midnight Public Safety Team’ on Monday (July 8). The circumstances of the arrest are unclear, but a source told DancehallMag that King was with other men who were also arrested.
He was arraigned on the charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.
His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday (July 12) at 9 AM in the Queens Supreme Criminal Court.
King is being represented by attorney Marc B. Laykind, who was appointed by the court.
In New York, criminal possession of a loaded firearm (the “top charge”) carries a statutory minimum required sentence of 3 and a half years in prison, typically for someone with no previous criminal record. The maximum sentence is 15 years.
In 2020, Rygin King was traveling in the Struie district in Westmoreland when one of the three vehicles in his entourage encountered an accident. They had stopped at the scene of the accident for about 45 minutes to assess the damage when another car pulled up with two men, who opened fire.
His manager’s wife, 28-year-old Sashalee Blackwood, who was sitting inside one of the vehicles with the two children, was shot and killed.
King, who was chased into a ditch, was shot three times. He spent many weeks in medical facilities, transferring at one point due to security concerns and undergoing critical surgical procedures.
He remains bound to a wheelchair.
The gunmen escaped and have not been identified.
King left Jamaica in the summer of 2021 to consult with orthopedic specialists in the US and reportedly began therapy for his condition in the country.
His debut album Therapy (2022), inspired by his rehabilitation, included songs such as the title track Therapy, Circumstances and Broken.
He continued the theme in his sophomore album, Recovery (2024), which included songs such as the title track Recovery, Firm, and Hurting.
His most streamed songs are Tuff, Glu, How Mi Grow, and 3ZN.